Path of Restoration
by Alaia Skyhawk
Summary: Book three of the 'Restoration series'. SPOILERS! It has been nearly four thousand years since the Giant Tree made its Prophecy. Now the waiting is over. The Chosen of Restoration has been born...and now it is time for their journey to begin.
1. An Unexpected Conversation

**Alaia Skyhawk: Hi, I'm Alaia and this is the first chaper of the third book of my planned 'Restoration' series. This is being posted as a teaser since I won't be updating this story 'till I've finished book one, 'Prequel to a Restoration', and book two, 'Hope of Restoration'. Anyway I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of its characters. I do however own Krishka, the Alurannai, Aluran and any OCs, so please don't steal them.**

**Enjoy!**

**-**

Path of Restoration.

Summary: It has been nearly four thousand years since the Giant Tree gave its Prophecy to its creations, the Summon Spirits, the Protozoans and the Alurannai. Now their waiting is over. The Chosen of Restoration has been born...and now it is time for their journey to begin.

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Chapter 1: An Unexpected Conversation

Iselia, the Village of Oracles. Home of the Chosen of Mana. It lay within the north-western corner of the Trietian continent, on the edge of the Iselia Forest. To the north of the village was the Martel Temple, the sacred altar where angels decended to the earth to speak with mortal man. Iselia was a village of peace, and on this day, this glorious summer day two weeks before the Day of Prophecy, one boy's world was about to be turned on it's head.

"Make way, comming through!"

A brown haired figure, two white ribbons trailing from the collar of his red shirt, dashed down the main street of the village. Ducking and dodging round people and carts in a desperate attempt not to be late for school...again.

It is to be said that this was concidered a common occurence, for not one villager was supprised to see this particular boy running flat out for the schoolhouse. It was then that a bell began to ring.

"Aww, crap! I'm late again!"

The boy raced across the final street, through the schoolhouse door...and failed to see that the hallway floor had just been washed.

"Whoaaaaaah!"

THUD!

His fellow students, having seen him slide past the classroom door at considerable speed, winced when they heard him hit the wall. As for the teacher, she stepped out into the corridoor, pulled him to his feet, then guided the disorientated youth to his desk.

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Outside, two huge pale blue eyes, lit with humour, peered at the schoolhouse from the depths of the forest. A quiet chuckle rose from the watchers scaled throat.

"Like father, like son."

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Back in the classroom, the teacher glanced at the boy with a look of sympathy on her face.

"Really, Lloyd, you need to be more careful. That's the fifth time this month you've hit that wall. I'm beginning to think I should get it padded."

With that the silver haired, blue eyed, twenty-four year old woman, straightened her orange overcoat and walked towards the front of the classroom.

"As for your tardyness, you were only _just_ late so I'll let you off this time."

The boy grimaced as he rubbed the lump on his head. He'd been having contant headaches for two days and banging his head off the school wall had hardly helped.

"Thanks, Professor Raine."

Raine Sage, or as the students called her, Professor Raine, was a self taught scholar of unknown background. Despite this lack of a known past she was well respected in the village. No one knew where the elf had come from. She had arrived in Iselia ten years previously, with her two year old brother in tow. When the villagers discovered her conciderable knowledge she was promptly asked to be the teacher of the village school. A post that had been vacant for several months.

Raine, who had reached the front of the room, faced the blackboard, picked up a piece of chalk and wrote:

'The Prophecy of Restoration'

As she turned to them she knew that none of them, except her brother, would know more about the prophecy other than that it was a prophecy. After all it had taken her months to track down what she did know. But still she decided to give them a chance.

"Right, who can tell me what the Prophecy of Restoration is?"

A small hand near the front of the class shot into the air, and it was the only hand in the air. It belonged to a silver haired, blue eyed twelve year old. As you may have guessed, it was Raine's little brother Genis, who also, ironically, happened to be one of Lloyd's best friends.

Raine sighed inwardly.

_Why do I bother?_

"Yes, Genis."

He stood up.

"The Prophecy of Restoration, is the prophecy made by the Giant Kharlan Tree, to the Summon Spirits, just before it died."

Lloyd frowned, his head pounding as Raine nodded to Genis.

_Why do I feel like I know this already?_

"That's correct, Genis. When the Tree withered it entrusted the prophecy to the Summon Spirits, who then told it to the people. Every two generations, two of the Spirits, Krishka and Maxwell, visit the people to renew their knowledge of the prophecy and ensure it will not be forgotten."

Lloyd continued to frown.

_I_ have _heard this before...and that name...Krishka? ...Why is it so familiar?_

"Now, can anyone tell me the Prophecy itself?"

Lloyd, overcome with a sudden sense of knowing, quickly put his hand up. It was like a small door had opened in his mind. Through is came a memory of a firm but kind voice, reciting the ancient words while he and his creche mates sat beneath the speaker's watchful gaze.

Raine blinked once, twice, three times..

"A-All right Lloyd...Let's see if you can answer it."

Lloyd got to his feet and spoke with complete confidence for the first time since he had started at the school.

"A time will come, a time of suffering.  
A time where the light of mana will blaze then fade.  
A time where hope rests on the journeys,  
of children led by crystals and wing'ed messengers.  
It is in this time that a child will be born of the forest,  
but they will not greive for me.  
The new Bond of their spirit will be the flame of the future.  
The flame that will lead the way to the Restoration of the Balance,  
and fuel the birth...of the next...Giant Tree..."

The students looked at Raine, then immediately stared at Lloyd. Raine had been rendered speechless, jaw practically dropping to the floor as the stared at Lloyd. Then her notes. Then Lloyd. Her notes. Lloyd...

_It took me months to find that out!... But he rattled it off like it was nothing..._

"Are you ok, Professor?"

Lloyd was rather freaked out by this point.

"S-Sis?"

Genis was as stunned as his sister, but his concern for her overroad his shock that Lloyd would know the answer to such an advanced history question. After all, Lloyd hated history, the only subjects he liked were P.E and Art.

Raine stood there, with her mouth open, for a few moments longer before she recovered enough to speak.

"Y-You're...right Lloyd,... absolutely r-right." She began to sway on her feet. "I..uh..think I...need to lie down." She brought a hand to her head as she sat down on her stool. "Class is..dismised for the rest of the day..."

The students sat for a moment longer before exploding from their seats, cheering as the charged out of the door. Lloyd, after looking at Genis who was headed for his sister, followed them out. Deciding that he was the last thing Raine needed right now.

----------------------------

Lloyd walked down the dusty street, oblivious to the gossip of the other children.

_How did I know that? Was I really remembering something from when I was little? But why now?...And why that? And why did Raine have to freak out? Sheesh, I don't know whether to be happy I got it right, or depressed that no one though I could answer it. But still...that memory. I was being taught about the Prophecy with my creche mates...'creche mates'? What are...?_

An image of four faces flickered through his mind, but only one stood out. A girl with large brown eyes, slightly spiky black hair, and a kind smile.

_I know her...she's my best friend...Alysii? ...We were being chased...there was a...Sentinel?...then we..._

"Lloyd!"

He snapped out his trance of half remebered images at the sound of an all too familiar voice. A voice whose high pitch now seriously grated on his suddenly sharper hearing. The sun, so bright it felt like it burned into his eyes. He squinted through the glare to see the second of his two best friends, _or is that three? _running down the street towards him.

"Lloyd, you got out of school early? That's great! I finished my lessons at the Chaple too! Let's go down to the river and see if we can skip stones out to that big rock in the midd..."

A cloud of dust rose into the air as the white clad girl landed face down in the middle of the path, as a result of tripping over her own feet. An event that was as well known as Lloyd's mad dashes to school.

The girl looked up at him.

"He he...whoops" She giggled as she lifted herself off the floor.

The girl was Collette, the Chosen of Mana. Sylvarant's hope...and a complete and utter klutz. She had long blond hair, bright blue eyes, and was almost always smiling. Her name was the shortened version of 'collena ette'. Angelic for 'Golden Grace', and while the angels who chose her name got the 'golden' part right, 'grace' couldn't be further from the truth. Collette's clumsiness was practically a legend. This was a girl who would often trip on 'thin air', and who had at one point, tripped and literally put a Collette-sized hole right through a wall.

"So...do you want to go down to the river?"

Lloyd hated to dissapoint her, but he had a lot he wanted to think about. Added to that his headache had gotten even worse, and his elbows, shoulders and a few other places had begun to itch like crazy. It seemed Raine wasn't the only one who needed to lie down.

He lied.

"Sorry, Collette. I was on my way home to finish my art project for school tomorrow."

Collette's happy expression was replaced by dissapointment. After a moment she shrugged and smiled again.

"Oh well...I'll see you tomorrow then."

Collette waved as she turned and walked off in the direction of her house, while Lloyd continued towards the South Gate. You see, Lloyd lived with his 'Uncle', Dirk, in the iselia forest. Dirk, who was a dwarf, had found a five year old amnesiac Lloyd wandering though the woods and he had looked after him ever since. The only other 'family' Lloyd had was his 'dog', Noishe. Noishe, had been given to them by a 'wanderer' as a companion for the young Lloyd... Though strangly Lloyd who was six at the time had already known the canine's name. He was a large green and white, wolf-like creature who was far too big to be a dog. But since Lloyd and Dirk didn't know what else to call him...they simply called him a dog.

Lloyd reached and walked through the south gate. Then turned west and headed into the forest.

-------------------

Raine, a frown on her face, stared at her desk as Genis sat nearby reading a book.

_How did Lloyd know that? Of all the people he's had contact with since Dirk found him, Genis and I are the only ones who know the exact wording of that prophecy. Neither of us have told him so he could only have learned it before then...But Lloyd has amnesia. The only way he would remember it would be..._

Raine suddenly looked up, startling Genis.

_The only way would be...if his memory were coming back. _

-------------------

Noishe usually waited for Lloyd at the South Gate, but today there had been no sign of him. Of course, Lloyd was too lost in thought to notice. He was halfway home when he was finally 'ambushed' by his 'dog'. However the ambush wasn't the only supprise.

"Ahh, Noishe! Get off me right n... What the?"

Noishe leapt off Lloyd, his fur standing on end and crackling with sparks, just like Lloyd's fingertips.

**What did you do that for?**

"Huh? Who said that?" Lloyd, oblivious to his sparking fingers, looked around trying to find the source of the voice. Noishe, forgetting his 'bad hair day', quickly noticed this. He charged up to Lloyd and looked him right in the eye.

**You can hear me?**

Lloyd blanched.

"No... way. I've gotta be hearing things."

Noishe's ears twiched, his mouth opening in his equivalent of a grin. He leapt into the air then started racing round the clearing, jumping around and chasing his tail.

**Woo hoo! Finally! Yes! He can hear me! He can hear me! Yay!** (A.N You get the idea)

Lloyd however did not appear so pleased. In fact he was as white as a sheet. His 'dog's' voice echoing in his head. His eyes getting wider with every circuit of the clearing Noishe made.

"That's it! It's official!...I've gone completely NUTS!"

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Well there you go. If you've read chapter 1 of 'Prequel to a Restoration' then you'll probably get the joke at the start. I also hope you like the 'golden grace' joke. Expect to see it a few more times.**

**Please review this, but please no flames. I'm a new author so I'm bound to make mistakes. Just point them out nicely and I'll try not to make the same mistakes again**.


	2. Learning One's Past

**Alaia Skyhawk: A Fast update, since this chapter was written already.**

-

Chapter 2: Learning One's Past.

-

The smell of pot's contents drifted through the room, overlaying the aroma of burning coal, hot metal and wood shavings that pervaded the air. To one side of the stove there was a stone build forge, the residual heat from the day's crafting fire heating the surface upon which the pot stood. The man scratched his beard with his free hand as the other stirred the contents of the pot. He was only four feet tall and yet was clearly an adult. This was due to the man being a dwarf, one of the Earth Folk that generally lived in underground cities. Though in this dwarf's case, he lived in a wooden house in the Iselia Forest.

He glanced out of the front window.

"Where is that lad? It doesn't usually take him this long to get back from the village..."

He lifted the pot off of the hot metal plate and walked to the door. He opened it and looked out. There was no sign of the aforementioned boy. Worried by his absence the dwarf grabbed the axe that hung by the door and set off down the path towards the village. As he walked, he looked around at the surrounding forest. The woods were calm with no indication that there was anything wrong. He kept going until he came across a rather strange sight. His 'nephew' was sat just to the side of the path with his hands clamped over his ears and his eyes screwed up as if he was trying to shut something out. Standing over him was the boy's 'dog', Noishe.

The canine looked at him.

**Hi, Dirk. Lloyd's developed the ability to hear me... but he thinks he's gone crazy.**

A look of understanding came to Dirk's eyes. He rubbed at the silver bracelet and its pale yellow stone that was clasped around his left wrist.

"Well now, that explains everything."

Lloyd looked up in surprise.

"W-Wait a minute... you can hear him too?"

Dirk gave him a reassuring smile, before showing Lloyd the bracelet on his wrist.

"This bracelet allows me to hear him, but you have the ability naturally. It's a sign that you've finally reached adolescence." He chuckled. "And it's about time."

Lloyd looked confused.

"Huh? But I'm eighteen, I'm nearly an adult."

Dirk shook his head to himself.

"Come on, let's get you back to the house and fed. After that Ah'll explain everything."

------------------------------------------

Throughout the meal, Lloyd kept glancing sidelong at Dirk. Unperturbed by the scrutiny, Dirk ate his meal at a steady pace, not speeding up even when Lloyd finished before him, and started staring at him as if to make him go faster. As soon as he finished Lloyd blurted out.

"So how can I only be an adolescent now? I'm human, by now I should be an adult."

Dirk looked over at him calmly.

"But that's the thing, Lloyd... You're not human, you're alurannai."

Lloyd looked confused.

"Huh? But I everyone says the alurannai are extinct."

Dirk chuckled.

"The alurannai wanted it that way. When the Giant Tree died they knew they would have to wait until a new Tree would arise. While Ah don't know the specifics, Ah do know that they believe it will happen within the next few years. That's why you were left with me... So that you could learn how the other races of the world live." He leaned against the low back of the stool he sat on. "By living near Iselia you've met people from all over Sylvarant, as they come here on pilgrimages or to visit High Priestess Phidra... Speaking of which, with you now getting your alurannai abilities, as well as getting your memory back, it's time for me to give out the two letters your father left with me."

Lloyd blinked.

"How do you know I'm starting to remember things? ... And what letters? You know my father?"

Dirk brought a hand up.

"Whoa there Lloyd, slow down. Ah know your memory is coming back because your father told me that the amnesia is a defence against being discovered while you're not strong enough to defend yourself. Your lack of any apparent brains is a defence too since living so near to a Ranch you'd feel threatened by their presence and pick that as the best way to avoid their noticing you and survive. Now that your magical and physical abilities are surfacing, whatever they are since _Ah_ was never told them exactly, you now have the strength to protect yourself and make your way home to your family if need be." He got up. "As for the letters, there's one for your teacher and one for Priestess Phidra. They explain all about you and what you are, as well as ask that you be allowed to continue going to school in Iselia for the time being. Now about your father... Yes Ah do know him, though Ah've only met him twice. The first time was just after they tracked you down to this house. The second was when he gave me the letters a year later. You see, you were separated from your family by some sort of incident, though Ah don't know the specifics. It took your father nearly seven months to find you, and when he did, Krishka the Summon Spirit of Life declared that you would stay here and learn in Iselia until your memory came back. Your father wasn't happy at all. Ah think that's why he's never visited. Probably took all his self control to walk away the first two times, a third time and he may not have been able to leave you. He seemed _that_ protective of you."

Lloyd looked down at his hands resting on the table.

"So all this time... I thought I was human, but I'm not... And I've stayed here because one of the Summon Spirits ordered my father to leave me here."

Dirk took the dirty bowls and utensils over to the washbowl and looked back over his shoulder at Lloyd.

"Does that upset you?"

Lloyd sat there looking thoughtful. A few moments later he answered.

"No... it doesn't... I just _know_ that Krishka would have had a reason and I accept that. I guess I would have yelled at him at first, but..."

Dirk smiled over at him.

"You don't need to say anymore. Go on out to the stream and get me some water to wash these dishes... After that Ah've some things from your father to give you."

Lloyd smiled back and headed out the door, picking up the water bucket next to it as he did so. Once outside he walked the short distance to the nearby stream as it trickled over the rocks and pebbles that lined its bottom. He was just bending down to dip the bucked in when a huge shadow covered him. He jumped in surprise, spun round and landed on his rear, to find himself looking up at a _very_ big dragon. He was all set to scream his lungs out when his eyes fixed on the vines that trailed around the light brown body and wings of the creature and looked up at its head to see a pair of glittering pale blue eyes. All of a sudden the memory came to him. This was the one who had taught him the prophecy... and was also the one who had ordered he be left with Dirk.

Lloyd climbed to his feet and stood straight, his eyes never leaving those of the dragon.

"Lord Krishka."

The summon spirit gave him a draconic smile.

"So your memory is starting to come back. Has Dirk explained why you are here with him?" Lloyd nodded. "That's good. After all, you need to accept what you are now, even though you don't remember, because by either tomorrow or the day after, you won't be able to hide it from those in the village. It will then take several months before you can disguise yourself."

For the umpteenth time that day, Lloyd looked confused. Krishka explained.

"I'm assuming you have a number of places that are itching constantly." Lloyd blinked, and then nodded slowly. "That's your sarren and your wings growing in. Sarren are the vine-like tendrils an alurannai has, the wings of course are self explanatory... Your family are naturally quick developers, so if your memory is coming back it means you're on the verge of passing that threshold and should have have your sarren by tomorrow. The growth casings of your wings' should start showing as well by then or the day after. Now, while alurannai can retract their wings and sarren at will, it takes time for them to adjust before they can do so. You'll be stuck with both out for a few months, that's why you won't be able to conceal what you are."

Lloyd looked uncomfortable.

"And you want me to keep going into Iselia to school like that?" Krishka just looked at him, Lloyd gulped, rethinking that objection. "...Never mind..."

Krishka turned his head and looked at Lloyd with a single eye.

"Good... Now get that water and go help Dirk with those dishes. An Aurion never slacks off when there's work to be done."

Lloyd did as he was told as Krishka left. When he was almost to the door, he stopped and smiled to himself.

"Lloyd... Aurion..."

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Now chapter 3.**


	3. Lloyd's Alurannai?

**Alaia Skyhawk: A Fast update, since this chapter was written already.**

-

Chapter 3: Lloyd's Alurannai?

-

An interested pair of brown eyes watched as a large bundle was dragged out of the very back of one of the storage cupboards, the diminutive man doing the pulling panting with exertion. With a heave he practically flung the mass onto the wooden floor that filled the corner where the house's table stood, narrowly missing the boy who sat there watching him.

Lloyd jumped back to avoid it before looking a Dirk for permission. At the dwarf's nod, he began to unwrap the bundle.

Dirk chuckled at Lloyd's expression when he saw what was in the centre of the mass.

"Aye lad, a new set of swords for ya. They were brought here by Lord Krishka, he said something about you'd be becoming too strong to use your wooden ones." He chuckled. "Ah'll say one thing, they're heavier than anything _Ah've_ crafted, though according to him these will just be your starter swords. The ones you'll be given later will be heavier still, Ah think it was something to do with stopping them shattering when you use them."

Lloyd reached down and grasped the sheaths, eyes widening as he barely managed to lift them.

"How the heck am I supposed to use these? They must weigh at least four times what your blades do!"

Dirk laughed.

"I'm sure you'll find out on your own Lloyd." He grinned at the bemused boy. "So are you going to unwrap the clothing that was left for you? You're going to need it once your wings and such start growing... Which should be soon by all accounts."

Lloyd set the swords on the floor and started to unfold the pile of clothing that had been underneath them. There was a mixture of shirts, all short-sleeved and with openings at the shoulders. Most were red, though there were a couple of grey ones with open backs. To these a piece of paper had been pinned. Lloyd frowned as he read the writing, the scrolling text strange to him until he recognised it as being Sumaityr.

"'For first two weeks or so...' Huh, what does that mean?"

Dirk shrugged.

"Ah couldn't tell ya. I guess you'll know soon enough."

Lloyd continued to explore the bundle, baffled by the note. Bit by bit he uncovered two pairs of boots, several pairs of dark grey trousers, a pair of suspenders, probably included at Dirk's suggestion since Lloyd liked them, and a rectangle of white edged, azure cloth that had a slit cut into it from one edge to the middle. Lloyd held it up, frowning in confusion before a vague image flashed before his eyes, banishing the expression. Immediately he draped the two flaps over his shoulders and found the tiny clasp part way down that would hold them together over his front.

Dirk smiled as Lloyd ran a hand over the reta, his eyes were filled with pride.

"Now that's a sight to see. When I saw your father in his silver edged one I tried to picture you in the same. I have to say you're the image of him, and I'm sure your people will be overjoyed to see you wearing that when the time comes for you to return to them. After all, thirteen years is a long time to spend waiting for your prince to regain his memory."

Lloyd spluttered in shock as he stared at Dirk.

"P-Prince?!"

Dirk came over and placed a hand on Lloyd's shoulder.

"Yes, Lloyd... prince. Your father is the Inartu, the Crown Prince of Aluran and next in line for leadership of the Alurannai. Your title is Nartu... Nartu Lloyd Aurion." Lloyd was stunned into silence, his eyes staring blankly ahead as he tried to comprehend the fact that he was a prince. Dirk patted his arm and began guiding him to the stairs. "Go to bed Lloyd, sleep on it. Things will be clearer after a good night's rest."

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The boy in the bed tossed and turned as the nightmare assailed him, muttered cries, for a father who wasn't there to save him, barely heard through the thick blanket that covered his head.

'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

A five year old boy stared in horror as the violet eyed woman walked towards him, a spear held out ready to attack as she spoke in a deadly voice.

"You little brat! You will come with me. It is ordered that I take you to Lord Yggdrasil. You are what we need to get that traitorous father of yours, and we _will_ get him."

She reached for the cowering boy as suddenly a cry rang out. A girl, the same age as the boy, appeared at the edge of the clearing.

"Lloyd!"

The woman turned, a spell circle appearing beneath her as she attacked the girl without hesitation.

"Disappear..."

Lloyd launched himself at the girl, throwing them both out of range of the spell as it charred the ground where she had been stood. Lloyd pulled her to her feet and dragged her into the forest.

"Run, Alysii!"

They sprinted through the forest, the woman in pursuit. The two of them were gasping for breath, eyes wide with terror, as she slowly gained on them. In a flash of inspiration, Lloyd changed direction.

Alysii, cried out in dismay.

"We can't go there. Myrta said it's not allowed..."

Lloyd kept running, still dragging her along with him.

"Your myrta not here. My ata not here." He choked back a sob as tears streamed down his panic stricken face. "That lady's going to hurt you!" His face screwed up as he screamed. "_ATA! HELP!_"

But no one came, and the woman kept closing in. Just as it seemed she would catch them, they entered a clearing that was towered over by a huge tree. Lloyd raced towards it, slamming into the trunk as he asked it to take them far away. He and Alysii vanished in a flash of light as the woman came to a halt and lifted her spear which blazed with magic, her face a mask of fury at their escape. Inside, riding on the links that tied the trees together, Lloyd tried desperately to hold onto Alysii. But as the woman stuck out at the Sentinel, the tree that had saved them, the links wrenched and pulled the two of them apart. Sent flying in a different direction from her, Lloyd strained to grab onto his crèche mate as she disappeared in the maelstrom of mana...

'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

"_ALYSII!_"

Lloyd fell out of bed with a thud as he gasped for air, tremors wracking his body as tears fell to the floor. Dirk charged up the stairs in his nightshirt and ran to the shuddering youth.

"Lloyd! What's wrong?"

Lloyd continued to cry, his heart rending sobs filling the room.

"...Alysii... I couldn't hang on to her... I couldn't keep hold..."

Dirk stepped back, as a memory came to him. The first time he'd met Lloyd's father, there had been another alurannai with him. Her eyes had been haunted in the same way his were when he first approached him, asking if he had found any other children in the forest... He closed his eyes tightly, before starting to move Lloyd back into his bed. In the dim moonlight that came through the window, he could just make out short tendrils that had grown at the sides of the boy's face.

"You tried, Lloyd, you tried. Ah'm sure she's safe and that you'll find her in time. And Ah'm sure she'll be looking for you as well."

Now back in his bed and covered with his blanket, Lloyd curled into a tight knot and drifted into slumber once more, tears still damp on his face. Dirk paused for a moment, before descending the stairs and returning to his own rest.

-------------------------------------------------

"_What the?!_"

Hearing the startled shout, Dirk peered up the stairs, wondering if Lloyd had had another nightmare. Not hearing any sobbing or cries, he crept up the stairs to find something hunched on the floor under the blanket from the bed.

"Lloyd?" The blanket stirred and hunched lower. "Lloyd, you'd better get dressed or you'll be late for school."

The blanket now looked like it was trying to merge with the floor as a muffled voice declared.

"I'm not going..."

Dirk crossed his arms, after spotting those tendrils during the night he knew exactly what this was about.

"Lloyd... Ah'll be giving the letters to Phidra and Raine anyway, and you can be sure that Raine will come and _make_ you go to school if she has to... Or don't you remember what happened that time when you were twelve?"

Beneath the blanket, Lloyd flinched.

"But I look like a porcupine!" Almost as an afterthought he added. "And it itches like crazy..."

Dirk chuckled.

"Now, Lloyd, it can't be that bad. Ah'll make you a deal. You get ready and go to school, and Ah'll put some of the anti-itch salve that Lord Krishka left with me on your back."

A mop of brown hair poked out of the bundled blanket, Lloyd peering at his foster uncle hopefully.

"Anti-itch?"

Dirk gave him a wry smile.

"Yes, Lloyd, but only if you promise to go to school." Lloyd weighed his optioned for a moment, then sighed. He stood up and tossed the blanket back onto the bed. Stood in only his pyjama bottoms, the tendrils on his shoulders, elbows and face were stark against his skin. Dirk looked bemused. "Ah don's see anything that makes you look like a porcupine."

Lloyd grimaced and turned around. Extending from his upper back were two clusters of dull grey spine-like casings. Only a few inches long, Dirk could see why Lloyd though they would make him look like the aforementioned animal, though in truth there weren't anywhere near enough of them to really do that. He could also now see what the 'for the first two weeks or so' note was about. The casings were hard and would soon be too long to have under a shirt, so a normal one wasn't an option. Dirk walked to the pile of clothing he had brought up after he had put Lloyd to bed, from it he pulled out one of the grey shirts along with boots and trousers. He tossed these at Lloyd before getting the reta from the hook on the wall where he'd hung it.

Lloyd was about to ask for the suspenders, but reconsidered. They would go down the middle of his back... the last thing he wanted right now. Sighing, he pulled on the clothing and accepted the reta as it was handed to him. At least the reta would hide his wing casings to a certain extent. He then slunk down the stairs after Dirk to find that the dwarf had let Noishe in the house.

The protozoan, which Lloyd now remembered was what he was, sat there wagging his tail in joy when he saw Lloyd wearing the reta.

**Morning. It's nice to see you actually looking like an alurannai.** Lloyd scowled at that comment, Noishe lowered his jaw in a grin. **Don't look so glum. Your father wasn't too happy either about the wing casings when he reached adolescence. He put up with them though without **_**too**_** much griping, so I know you can do the same.**

Lloyd broke out into a weak grin.

"Yeah, I guess so. I think I'm really just nervous about what the people in Iselia are going to think... About what my friends will think."

Noishe snorted.

**They're your friends. Do you really think they're going to judge you for being different? Besides you're an alurannai, right now the people of Iselia think your kind is extinct. Finding out that the alurannai still live will be a major boost to the people's hope. After all, as long as the alurannai are around, there will always be the possibility of a new Giant Tree growing. For centuries the people have thought that there would never again be a Tree, but seeing you will tell them that there's still a chance.**

Lloyd's smiled became more relaxed.

"Thanks, Noishe."

Noishe chuckled.

**There's also the fact that the villagers in general are hardly going to risk offending an Aluran Prince.**

Lloyd groaned at that statement and half heartedly threw the nearest cushion at the grinning Arshis.

"_Noishe..._"

Noishe dodged the flying comforter with ease and darted out the open door, his laughter echoing in Lloyd's mind. Lloyd was about to chase after the protozoan when Dirk knocked his feet out from under him, forcing him to kneel on the floor where he could reach Lloyd's itching back.

"Now sit still so I can put this salve on... Here." He handed Lloyd a bread roll with cheese in it. "Eat that while I sort this out and then we can head to the village."

Lloyd, who had taken a large mouthful of the roll, mumbled around it.

"But I don't normally go for another hour... We'd get there really early."

Dirk tapped Lloyd on the head.

"And that's the point. I need time to speak to High Priestess Phidra and to your teacher Raine." Having applied the salve, he put the lid back on the jar he'd been holding and wiped his hands on the cloth he'd tucked into his belt. Placing both on one of the worktops, he then picked up a pair of letters from the same surface and headed for the door. "Come on, Lloyd. Let's go."

------------------------------------------------

As they got closer to the village, Lloyd became increasingly nervous. Tugging at his reta, running hands over his new sarren, glancing around apprehensively. Noishe nuzzled his hand, but said nothing. However the simple gesture was enough to calm Lloyd to the point where he wouldn't try to bolt.

Eventually the South Gate of the village came into view and, heading towards it, Dirk glanced over his shoulder and frowned.

"Lloyd... Come out from behind that bush. There's no point in delaying this so you may as well get it over with." Lloyd grudgingly came out from his hiding place and came over to stand by his foster uncle. Dirk shook his head. "Lloyd, you look like a bringer of doom with an expression like that. If you can't do it for yourself then do it for your father."

Lloyd flinched, looking ashamed. Taking a deep breath, he stood up straight and held his head high, his face calm and composed. He gave Dirk a trembling smile.

"That better?"

Dirk grinned and nodded. Saying nothing else he started along the last part of the path to the gate, Lloyd walking right alongside him. At first the gate guard just ignored them, Dirk and Lloyd were well known. However when they got close enough to see clearly, he almost fell from the watchtower at Lloyd's altered appearance. The sight of the guard fumbling to grab the ladder only to pull himself straight and state the standard 'request for entry' speech, was enough to bring a faint hint of amusement to Lloyd's eyes.

When it came to his turn to speak, after Dirk, any hesitation he felt vanished.

"I, Nartu Lloyd Aurion of the Alurannai, request permission to enter the village. I am here to speak with High Priestess Phidra and to Teacher Raine... I'm also here to go to school." He blinked as he realised something and groaned. "Aww crap... I forgot my homework!"

At that moment, the guard looked like he didn't know whether to stare in shock, or laugh. Not being able to keep a straight face, he waved them through before leaning against the railing of the tower in bemusement. Dirk wasn't so restrained, he burst out into a bout of chuckles that lasted half the way to Brunel household.

Throughout the trip through the streets of Iselia, people stopped and stared at the laughing dwarf and at the altered Lloyd, clearly not having a clue what was going on. When he stopped laughing, Dirk asked one of the villagers to get Raine and tell her to come to Phidra's house. The woman sprinted off, not looking back as she dashed for the far side of the village. Lloyd watched her go, feeling that she might have been running more to get away from _him_ than to deliver the message quickly. Shaking off the thought, he turned his attention back to the approaching meeting with Phidra and Raine.

As they got nearer to the house, some of the villagers realised where they were heading and ran ahead to tell the priestess. Thus, when Lloyd and Dirk reached the house, Phidra was standing on the porch waiting for them.

There was a scuffle behind them, and as they turned to look Raine and Genis burst from the crowd, out of breath from running across the village.

Genis gaped at Lloyd in shock.

"What the heck?"

Lloyd couldn't help it and looked away uncertainly, Dirk breaking the awkward silence by handing one of the letters to Raine, and the other to Phidra.

Raine ripped hers open and began to read out loud.

"_To the teacher of the Iselia School. I hereby request that you allow my son to continue studying at your establishment until one of the alurannai comes to collect him and bring him home. I trust that you'll treat my son as you would the other students, as no special dispensation or treatment is required. Yours sincerely, Inartu Kratos Aurion._"

Silence fell once more, this time broken by Phidra reading her letter out to the gathered villagers.

"_High Priestess Phidra. There was an incident that resulted in my son being separated from our family and stranded near Iselia. We tracked him down to the dwarf, Dirk Irving, and at Lord Krishka's command asked Dirk to continue looking after him. As my son had already suppressed his memories to protect himself from being discovered by the Desians, it was decided that he would be passed off as a human foundling until he reached the stage where his memory would naturally return. If you are reading this, then it means that Lloyd is regaining the knowledge of his past and true heritage, and that as such it is now being revealed to you and to the people of Iselia. Contrary to common belief, the alurannai survived the death of the Giant Tree and it is only at Lord Krishka's command that you learn of this now. I entrust my son, Nartu Lloyd Aurion, to the care of the village until it is time for him to return home. It is hoped that his experiences from Iselia will help him to better understand the people of the other nations and races, an important facet of the role he will one day play when he eventually becomes Narim. Yours sincerely, Inartu Kratos Aurion._" She lowered the letter and gazed at Lloyd with open surprise. "You're of the Alurannai?"

Suppressing the urge to scratch his head and look away, Lloyd looked back at her and spoke with only a slight tremor in his voice.

"Yes... I only started to remember yesterday, during the lesson about the Prophecy of Restoration. I remembered being taught it by Lord Krishka. Later on my way home I discovered I could hear Noishe telepathically. He's actually a protozoan, not a dog. Since then Dirk has explained what he knows to me, and I've remembered a few things myself, though not much. Most of what has happened to me the last few days, feeling unwell, the headaches... has all been heading towards me looking the way I do now" He looked at the ground. "I remember now _what_ I am, but I can't remember anything about my family. The only thing I clearly remember is how I ended up with Dirk. Almost everything before that is a blank still."

Phidra descended the porch steps with the aid of her cane and placed a hand on his arm.

"You will remember given time, until then just be patient." She gave all those who were present a stern look. "As a High Priestess of the Church of Martel, I declare that Lloyd Aurion, Prince of Aluran, is to be welcome here. Any who harm him in any way will answer to the justice of the Church." At the word 'prince' the entire crowd gasped, until then they had no idea what Nartu meant. Phidra tapped her cane on the ground, silencing the murmur of voices. "I do not want his father, the Crown Prince of Aluran, to find that we have been less than welcoming to his son. Iselia is the Village of Oracles, let us uphold that vision of hope and peace... and let the rekindled hope of a new Giant Tree, a hope kept alive by the alurannai, never leave our hearts... Now... I believe everyone present has things they should be doing."

The crowd, after a few polite words with Lloyd and Dirk, dispersed at this prompt leaving only Phidra, Raine and Genis standing near them. Hearing again the faint grate of a hinge, as he had during the reading of the letters, Lloyd sighed.

"You can stop eavesdropping, Collette. I heard you open the door halfway through."

Collette fully opened the front door of the house and came out, hands clasped in front of her.

"I'm sorry..."

Lloyd suppressed a groan before he and Genis said in unison.

"You don't need to apologise, Collette."

At this, Genis inched forward, Lloyd turning to face him. In that moment Lloyd sensed what his friend and his sister really were, and he also realised that Genis didn't know he could sense it, but was nervous about being rejected anyway. Lloyd discretely reassured him.

"Genis, the alurannai accept all people. Race doesn't matter, I'll always be your best friend... That is, if you want me to."

Genis looked confused, Lloyd could have been speaking about himself, but after a moment he realised the true meaning of Lloyd's words. Breaking out into the widest grin Lloyd had ever seen, Genis ran over and grabbed his hand.

"Come on, we'd better get to school!" He shouted over to Collette. "Come on, Collette!"

Collette snatched a bag from just inside the door and raced after them as Genis dragged a laughing Lloyd towards the school.

Watching them go, Raine sighed.

"For a moment there I was wondering how the two of them would react, but it seems that their friendship goes beyond trivial things like race." She began to walk after them, glancing over her shoulder at Dirk as she did so. "Well I'd best get to the school myself. It would hardly be setting a good example for the _teacher_ to be late."

Dirk looked around at the village for a moment before tugging on the straps of his overall.

"Well I guess I'd better get back to my workshop. Iron doesn't forge itself." He inclined his head to Phidra. "Priestess."

And with that he walked to the South Gate, inwardly sighing in relief. Things had gone well...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: And now for chapter 4, the last of my pre-written ones.**


	4. Thoughts of the Past

**Alaia Skyhawk: A Fast update, since this chapter was written already.**

-

Chapter 4: Thoughts of the Past

-

The three of them charged towards the school, laughing from the sheer elation that Lloyd's change hadn't affected their friendship. When they reached it they found that they were the first to arrive, at which point Genis abandoned his usual seat at the front and took the third desk in the row where Lloyd and Collette sat. Collette pushed Lloyd to her seat while she took his, meaning he was now sat between them as Genis began to chatter enthusiastically.

"I can't believe you're alurannai, Lloyd. This is _so_ cool... and you're a prince too. What do you remember about your home? Have you ever seen Aluran?"

Lloyd looked away, not quite suppressing the pain in his voice.

"I've never seen Aluran, I'm sure of that... and like I said back there, I don't remember much at the moment, just how I ended up at Dirk's."

Collette leaned forward, her face showing she was worried about him being upset, but still curious.

"How did it happen?"

Lloyd bit his lip, his voice trembling as he spoke.

"I was playing in the forest with one of my crèche mates, Alysii. The village we lived in was discovered by the... Desians... and attacked while we were out in the woods with Noishe. Noishe made us hide while he left to help protect the village. He didn't know there was a Desian that had been watching us and was waiting for him to leave. They tried to capture me, probably to use to force my father to surrender to them. I managed to pull free and Alysii and I ran away. We ran for what felt like hours before I remembered where the nearby Sentinel was. We managed to get to it and use it to get away, but the Desian did someting to the tree and the backlash that travelled along the links between the Sentinels tore us apart from each other. That was the last I saw of her... When I got dumped out of Tree Links by the backlash I was in the Iselia Forest. I wandered around days until my crying was heard by Dirk, but by then I'd suppressed my memories to protect myself... The rest after that, you know."

Collette looked down at the desk as Lloyd held back tears.

"I'm sorry, Lloyd. I shouldn't have asked you. You're hurting because of me. I'm sorry."

Lloyd looked at her and chuckled.

"You dork, stop apologising. I'd have told you and Genis anyway, you're my best friends and I _want_ you to know. So don't worry about it."

Lloyd hitched his reta a little, the salve Dirk had put on his back was wearing off.

Genis looked puzzled as Lloyd frowned and tried to scratch the part that was now bothering him, a part just out of his reach.

"What's wrong, Lloyd?"

Lloyd sighed.

"My back's starting to itch again... I'm gonna have to ask Dirk to give me the jar of salve to bring with me to school. What he put on this morning is wearing off already and it itches like crazy."

Collette blinked.

"Why would your back be itching?"

Genis and Collette looked on as their friend shrank down into his chair a little.

"...My wings are growing in and the casings make them itch."

"_Wings?!_"

Lloyd shrank down further into his chair as his friends stared open mouthed at him.

Suddenly Genis broke into wide grin.

"That's so cool! Can I have a look at them?"

"Genis... Lloyd has had enough to deal with for now... He can show you later." They all turned to see Raine standing in the classroom doorway where she'd been listening for some time. "The rest of the students will be here in a minute so I want you to get your books ready. We'll be finishing the lesson on the Prophecy of Restoration today, since I dismissed the class yesterday." She smiled, at Lloyd. "At least now I know not to be surprised if you know the answers already. You gave me quite a shock, rattling off something that took me _months_ to find out."

Lloyd scratched the back of his head, Genis and Collette bursting into giggles at his embarrassment.

"... He he. Maybe you should keep that in mind for the rest of the subjects as well, Professor... I've been remembering all the classes about those too..."

Whatever response Raine might have made was cut off as the rest of the village children charged past her into the classroom. Most of them skidded to a stop to glance at Lloyd before moving to their seats. The boy, whose seat Genis had taken, shrugged and went to the desk at the front, handing over the books kept there as Genis passed him his. Seeing that the children had taken Lloyd's new appearance in their stride, Raine walked to the blackboard and picked up the lesson from where she's left off the day before.

"Now all of you heard Lloyd tell us the Prophecy yesterday, so now I want you to write it down to take home and memorise as your homework. When you're done we'll go over the history behind the Prophecy. Any questions?"

The entire class chorused.

"No, Professor Raine."

Raine nodded and began to write it on the blackboard, the sound of chalk scraping quickly followed by that of scribbling pencils. Once she'd sat down she glanced at Lloyd as she mulled over thoughts that had come to mind since the events less than an hour ago.

_So Lloyd is alurannai... Does that mean... Could he know about... that other place? The place I couldn't find in Sylvarant..._ She clenched a hand below the level her desk's top. _Mother... Why did you send us here? Why did you leave us all alone?_

'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

Water pelted down from the skies, soaking them to the skin as they ran from the pursuing knights. Frightened blue eyes peered out over the bundle held tight below them. A baby's cry rang out and the girl tried to calm the boy she carried.

"Little Brother, it'll be ok. Shhhh, it'll be fine."

His tears became hiccoughs as her voice soothed him, though her expression said she didn't believe the words she spoke. A hand was put on her shoulder, urging her to run faster. She looked up into eyes that mirrored her own, eyes that were framed by hair the colour of starlight.

"We have to go faster! Raine... I won't let them take you!"

A hand was placed on her other shoulder and she turned to see the urgent look in her father's grey eyes.

"You'll have to look after Genis, Raine, just in case we don't make it through with you... Look after your brother and please... live the life you would never have had here in this world."

Lightning flashed, lighting the tops of the stone monoliths ahead of them... Stones that had begun to glow with an eerie radiance. With a final push, Raine found herself in the middle of them, surrounded on all sides. She looked round to see her parents charging back towards the knights who had arrived moments after them. Magic flared and a bolt of fire leapt from her mother's hands to sear a knight where he stood. Another lifted an axe to strike her, but her husband leapt into it's path to stop it.

It struck him as her voice shrieked in horror.

"_Kloitz!_"

Raine took a step forward, but was stopped as a pool of power opened beneath her and pulled her in.

"_Mother! Father! No!_"

The world disappeared as she was tumbled through an abyss of chaos, her mother's cries echoing in her ears. She fell and landed in a place of silence, surrounded by long grass that brushed against her face, lit by the moon. She looked around, uncertain, but all she could see was the sides of some strange vast depression in endless plains of grass... She... and her brother... were alone.

'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

Her eyes turned to look at the happy smile on Genis' face as he and Collette chatted to Lloyd, who recited the Prophecy for them to copy into their books. She sighed and pulled out her sheaf of notes ready for the next part of the lesson, eyes lingering on a wooden pony in the drawer that she'd been given in her home village so long ago by a traveller passing through.

_I've tried, Father, I've tried... but I can't seem to let go. I _have _to find you. I _have_ to know what happened to you both. Even if it takes me forever..._

---------------------------------------------------

The school bell's ringing drifted across the village, letting parents know that lessons were finished for the day. Happy laughter filled the air as the children raced home before heading back out to play. The light was only just beginning to dim as two silver haired siblings and a brown haired youth headed for a house near the village pond. The younger sibling trotted forward and turned around, walking backwards as he talked away enthusiastically.

With a smile his sister took hold of his arm and made him face forward again.

"Genis, you can talk as well walking forwards as backwards, but you're less likely to trip over. Now if the two of you want to stay outside, I'll go in and make some sandwiches. Surely you can trust me not to mess _those_ up."

She ruffled her brother's hair and headed up the steps to the house.

Genis chuckled as Lloyd broke into a grin.

"Yeah, I admit, those are the one thing she can make and have them still be edible."

Lloyd climbed the steps and walked over to the pond that was a short way from the house. Hands being gloveless for a change, he crouched down and idly stirred the edge with a fingertip.

"This has been a really strange day for me. Yesterday I thought I was human, but now I remember I'm not. Everyone in class didn't make a big deal out of it, but still... all the way here the people of the village have stared at me and been too afraid to say hi to me like they used to. It's like they're looking at what's different instead of seeing that I'm still the same person I was yesterday... I guess I'll just have to get used to it."

Genis hesitated before joining him at the water's edge.

"Lloyd... this morning... when you said that the alurannai accept all people... Does that mean you really...?"

His voice petered out uncertainly. Lloyd looked up and him, his voice only a murmur against the background noise of the village.

"Yeah, I can sense you and Raine are half-elves. It doesn't matter what you are, all that matters is who you are inside. People aren't bad because of their race, it's because they choose to be that way. You and Raine chose to live alongside humans peacefully, even if you told them you're elves. I know that both of you must have been approached by the Desians, but for you to be here you must have told them to take a hike."

Genis gaped at his friend for a moment before breaking out into laughter.

"You're right, they did. Two of them spoke to us once when we went for a walk in the forest. Raine clubbed one of them over the head with her staff and the other legged it as soon as he saw the look on her face. They haven't bothered us since then."

Lloyd got up.

"You see? You made your choice and decided to trust the people of the village and live here, rather than turn against them. They may not have trusted them enough to tell them what you really are, but you must still have _some_ faith in them."

The door of the nearby house opened and Raine peered out.

"Genis, Lloyd, the food is ready."

Genis took hold of Lloyd's wrist and pulled him towards the door, their conversation over for now.

"'Kay." He grinned. "Let's hope Sis didn't put tomato in any of them."

Lloyd grimaced and shuddered.

"Yeah..."

--------------------------------------------------------

**So did you have a good day? You were practically shaking in your boots this morning.**

Lloyd smiled at the protozoan who had been waiting outside the village as he usually did. With practiced ease, Lloyd leapt onto his back as Noishe turned and headed for their home in the forest.

"It was weird at first, but the kids at school stopped staring after a while and accepted me. I think their parents need a bit longer though."

Noishe flicked an ear and glanced back at him.

**You know you don't have to speak out loud to me. Why don't you try speaking the way I do for a bit?**

Lloyd blinked.

"Umm, ok..." _Can you hear this?_

Noishe stared at him and tilted his head.

**Try again, I didn't hear anything.**

Lloyd frowned in concentration.

_How about this?_

Noishe shook his head.

**Still nothing.**

Lloyd fell silent as he thought for a moment. Just then he relaxed as he realised how tense he was. He grinned.

**You're a fuzzy butted, hole digger.**

Noishe stopped dead in his tracks.

**I am not a... Hey, you got it right!**

The two of them began to laugh as Noishe set off again and broke into a run. Lloyd leaned in closer to Noishe's back to stop himself getting thrown off as the arshis picked up speed.

**This is fun. All the time I've lived in Iselia I kept thinking how cool it would be if you could talk. I guess I got my wish.**

Noishe howled in agreement before they both started laughing again. Racing through the trees, they didn't notice the pair of sad brown eyes watching them.

"I'm happy for you Lloyd, for you and for your father. I only hope that if my daughter is still out there, she soon begins to remember as well."

An Aeros with yellow markings stepped into the light next to her.

**I'm sure she's alright, Vayla. Until we find out which of them it is we can only assume she is. The Great Seed still sings which means if it isn't Lloyd, then Alysii **_**is**_** still alive.**

Vayla sighed.

"You're right, Mezo." She turned and headed back under the cover of the trees. "Lets go. We still have a lot of preparations to make if we're to pull this off."

She looked back once more and watched her friend's son fade into the distance, before she dissapeared into the shadows once more.

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**Alaia Skyhawk: He he, I'll pulling plot teasers out of the woodwork all over the place in this one. As I said at the end of chapter 3, this is the last pre-written one I have. I'll see about writing chapter 5 to put up later on today.**


	5. Magic Lessons

**Alaia Skyhawk: Well here I am writing the first new chapter of this fic since I wrote the other 4 months ago. I'm still a bit amazed at how fast I got Hope done. All in all it took me about three months, a LOT faster than the 15 months it took me to finish Prequel. Well enough chatter from me. On with the story.**

**Oh and here's the Xmas thank you list. I was updating so fast I forgot to put it up before the end of Hope.**

1: Sparkling Moon Phoenix 2: Mez10000 3: WingedWithFireyMana 4:JeanneAndHerAlters 5: lloyd-forever 6: Mr.Who2123 7: Poet Bucky (If there's any I missed I apologise. I've had so many reviews coming into my inbox the last few days I've lost track. :S )

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

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Chapter 5: Magic Lessons

-

Lloyd strolled in through Iselia's South Gate, now completely at ease with his new appearance, even if his itching back and the increasing length of his wing's growth casings did drive him to distraction at times. The faint rattling of those casings he had gotten used to over the past week, and Krishka's promise that it was likely they'd grow as fast as his father's had gave him the will to ignore the inconvenience. After all, if they did then he was halfway there already.

He smiled at the villagers as he passed, most of them now starting to smile back again. He wasn't running today, since he'd started getting his memory back he'd been _enjoying_ school. With that in mind he'd arrived at school five minutes before the bell every day of the last week, never having to rush to make it on time even once. He was just nearing the school itself when one of the few people in the village he _didn't_ like crossed his path.

The Mayor of Iselia scowled at him.

"...Nartu Lloyd. Good morning to you, and may Martel's blessings come your way."

It was the traditional formal greeting here in Iselia, but the tone the man had used made it sound more like an insult. The man didn't like associating with the Elves, and did like associating with the Dwarves, and now it seemed he'd added associating with the Alurannai to that list.

Lloyd decided to rub his nose in it, using one of the basic formal greetings that he'd remembered over the past week.

"Greetings to you Mayor Vander. May the Spirit's Blessings guide you on the path to inner peace."

Lloyd felt a faint snigger in the back of his mind, as the familiar voice of a certain dragon murmured in amusement.

**I think we'll decline on that one... We have standards...**

Mayor Vander flushed with anger, not hearing the silent comment, aware only that Lloyd had used a 'heretical' blessing in his presence. Biting back a retort that he knew would not go down well with High Priestess Phidra if she heard of it, he muttered a reluctantly polite reply instead.

"_Thank you_ for your kind words. You _honour_ me." He turned and walked off in a huff. "I bid you day."

Lloyd managed to keep a straight face just long enough for the man to get out of sight before he burst out laughing. Ever since the first time he'd met the mayor he'd wanted to be able to answer back at him without getting in trouble, and now he could, as petty as such taunting was.

Smiling to himself, Lloyd walked over to the school and went in. Wondering what the lesson would be about today.

---------------------------------------------------

"Hurry up, Collette. You're going to be late for school."

Aradine was stood by the front door of the home of the Mana Lineage, holding her daughter's lunch bag as she waited for the girl to come down the stairs. She sighed softly. One week, one week until her daughter's sixteenth birthday... One week until she would have to say goodbye.

_I'm unhappy about what has to happen, but at least she's had a proper childhood. She's taken it so well, accepted it without hesitation. Maybe her 'grace' is that she'd see the path before her and walk it without tears, bravely doing what she must. If it had been me, I know I would never have made it. I'd have broken down along the way. Failed the people of Sylvarant. She's so much stronger than me. I know she'll succeed, and do us all proud._

Collette came charging down the stairs, stumbling a little, though keeping on her feet, and lightly took the bag from her mother before racing out the door and heading for the school.

"See ya later, Mom."

Aradine closed the door, her eyes sad.

"Only a few more days, and I never hear those words again..."

----------------------------------------------------

"You said you wanted to ask me something, Lloyd. What is it?"

Lloyd scuffed his foot on the ground, as his best friend Genis looked at him puzzled. They were off in a field near Iselia, one of the ones that was too rock and boulder riddled to farm. There were blast and scorch marks all over this field, hardly surprising with this being the place Genis came to practice his spell casting. It was precisely for that reason that Lloyd had come here.

"Um, I was wondering whether you'd teach me what you know about casting spells. I'd like to learn more, and I think I need to learn so I know how to control it as well. I've caused a few... accidents... when I've cast a small spell without meaning to."

Lloyd was beet red with embarrassment, half expecting Genis to laugh at him as the boy would normally do when he heard Lloyd had done something dumb. This time however, Genis just grimaced in sympathy. He knew exactly what Lloyd was going through.

"I did that quite a few times myself when I was just starting out. It got to the point she moved everything breakable out of the house until she'd managed to teach me to control it. Dirk can't use magic, and I know coming to me is a _lot_ better than asking Raine."

Both of them shuddered. Even with Lloyd regaining his ability to remember things after a single telling, he had no doubt he'd somehow earn a clip round the ear or too from the easily irritated half-elven woman.

He scratched the back of his head, looking at the floor.

"I can feel the mana around me, but sometimes I go to do something and it's like I have an extra arm that tries to do what my normal arm is doing at the same time. Almost every time that happens the thing I'm reaching for either gets struck by lightning, charred, or blown halfway across the room by a gust of wind. The only 'good' accidental spell I've done is when I healed my hand after I hit myself with a fireball.

Genis blinked, then grinned.

"Affinity for Lightning, Fire, Wind, and Healing Arts. Cool, I wish I could heal. My main affinities are Fire, Lightning, Earth, and Water, though I can cast in the other elements too, just not as easily as those four." Genis put his arms up around the back of his head, stretching them after being cramped at his school desk all day. "As for the 'extra arm', yeah it's like that and it really helps to picture it that way too. Think of it as _two_ arms though. Then just tell yourself that those two arms are kept crossed at all times, they only reach out when you're casting a spell. That should stop any more accidents once you get the hang of it. The 'two arms' makes casting easier too. Picture one arm as gathering the mana you need, and the other as pointing at your target. It makes aiming a lot easier, I speak from experience..."

Lloyd thought about the time before Genis had started practicing at this field. That day Genis had been aiming for a rock near the pond in front of him, and instead had nearly struck his own house with lightning behind him. Raine had completely flipped out, and ever since then Genis had always made sure to stay clear of the village when trying spells.

Thinking over the 'two arms' idea. Lloyd tried it, and was startled to see just how easy it was. He let Genis sense him reach out and pull back again, with no problems.

"Aww man, that's all there is to it? I've been zapping things all week and could have stopped it just like that."

Genis sighed and patted him on the arm.

"That's usually how it works Lloyd. So, do you want to try some proper spells since you've gotten your head around not reaching for mana when you don't mean to?"

Lloyd looked down at the grin on Genis' face, grinning back.

"Sure. Let's see what I can do..."

-------------------------------------------------------------

Sad brown eyes watched as the silver haired boy cheered when the brown haired youth with him succeeded in hitting the rock he'd pointed to with lightning. She'd used every spare minute she could keeping an eye on him. Not putting it past Cruxis to try something despite the 'truce' the Alurannai had arranged. It wasn't a proper truce though, not like Yggdrasil thought it would be. All they'd promised was that they would ensure Collette reached the Tower... They didn't say anything about handing her over...

"That bastard isn't the only one that can twist words..."

Vayla stayed there in her place of concealment, watching her best friend's son practice. Allowing herself a chuckle when a moment of distraction caused him to almost aim at his own head...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Yup, Aradine is still around. I'll say once again that it was weird Collette mother wasn't even given a **_**single**_** mention in the game. Nothing at all. I feel having Aradine still play a part in her life fills a big gap in Collette's back story and provides another point of view on what Collette will be facing.**


	6. Learning to Fly, Take Two

**Alaia Skyhawk: I'm taking events in Iselia a little faster in this Pre-game section than I'd planned, mainly because I've thought about the sheer length of the story to come and the fact that there's only so much I can do in this section. Path is, probably, going to dwarf (no pun intended) my other two fics in this series in terms of length in words.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 6: Learning to Fly, Take Two

-

Lloyd inched sideways out of his bed, cursing the growth casings of his wings that were so long now he had to sleep on his front. Those innocent looking dull grey casings were now just under two foot long, hanging down past his waist and even interfering with him sitting on a chair since he had to physically push them out to either side of the seat to sit down. It was the day before Collette's birthday, and to top things off for him he'd just realised he'd forgotten to make her anything.

"Lloyd nu kaqu! You absolute retard! Your memory is supposed to be perfect! Sure you still can't remember much from before ending up here, but you only promised her that necklace _three weeks_ ago!"

Lloyd continued to mutter to himself. Hopping on one foot to get his second boot on only to slip on the reta he'd knocked to the floor in his flustering.

Staring up at the ceiling from the floor, Lloyd sighed.

_Man this would be so much easier if there was another alurannai here I could ask about how to deal with all this. My head feels like it's been stuffed, my back itches like I've rolled in the world's worst poison ivy, and my 'dog' thinks all of this is just hilarious._

Noishe had noticed Lloyd's increasing frustration with the growth casings, and started walking round sniggering to himself every time he saw Lloyd's face. Lloyd would have zapped the Arshis, but every time he took aim Noishe would beat him to the punch and cast Allied Sanctuary on them both so that any attacking spell Lloyd cast on him would do nothing. Clunking the irritating Protozoan over the head with his new swords was out of the picture too. For all that Lloyd's strength had increased now to the point he could swing them with ease, Noishe was still too fast for Lloyd to hit. Not to mention Lloyd didn't want to actually hurt him, just wipe that stupid smirk of his face.

Lloyd went down the stairs, giving his foster uncle a tired smile as the dwarf pointed to the bowl of porridge waiting on the table for him.

"Those things stop you from getting much sleep again?" Lloyd nodded. "Aye well, get that porridge eaten and I've give ya some seconds. 'Sleep is food, and food is sleep' as they say. Get a good breakfast under your belt and hopefully you won't fall asleep in class again."

Lloyd groaned to himself as he sat down on one of the low stools, the one kind of seat the casings didn't interfere with. The previous day he had dozed off at his desk, earning a chalk board eraser to the head from Raine.

"I hope so too. There's only so much chalk dust I can take when it hits me in the face like that."

Spooning up the porridge, he continued his grumbling in silence.

_I think I'm actually starting to wish I was still the stupid _old_ Lloyd. The Lloyd who had the attention span in a classroom of about three seconds. The Lloyd that didn't actually _mind_ getting clouted with the eraser that much when he couldn't recall the exact feeling of impact down to the last detail._

It didn't take him that long to finish his first bowlful, nor the second, and as soon as he was done he picked up his lunch bag and headed for the door.

Dirk gave him an idle wave from the forge where he was just about to take a hammer to a cherry red piece of iron.

"Have fun at school, Lloyd."

Lloyd opened the door and glanced back.

"Will do. See ya later, Uncle Dirk."

Walking through the forest towards the border of the Iselian lands just a couple of miles away, his azure reta flapping in the breeze, Lloyd hitched at the shoulder of his plain grey shirt and checked for what was probably the ten thousandth time the sarren that had framed his face for the past two weeks. For all he was used to looking like he did now, he still wasn't used to the feeling of having sarren. The tendrils were very sensitive, so much so that through them he could feel the slight change in air pressure in a room when a door was opened or closed. It was a strange sensation, but he supposed he'd get used to it the way he was getting used to being able to see and hear much better.

Looking around at the forest he could see so many new variations in colours that his prior memories of what it looked like seemed drab by comparison. So many new sounds both higher and lower that he'd been able to hear before that those old memories seemed muted. It had taken him time to learn to filter out and generally ignore the extra background noise, but one thing he still hadn't mastered yet was doing that and still picking up when something was sneaking up on him...

One second he was walking, the next he was flat on his face. He didn't even need to look at the smirking canine face above him to know who it was.

"Noishe... I know you think sneaking up on me will help me learn faster, but do you really need to knock me on my face every time? It might not hurt me anymore, but it's the principle of it."

Lloyd pushed himself up off the floor as Noishe stared down at him with his tail wagging.

**I did the same for Kratos... He didn't like it either but he **_**did**_** learn a lot faster.**

"And I bet he wanted to strangle you for it just as much as I do..."

**Huh?**

Lloyd brushed a few stray leaves off his clothing and giving the Arshis no warning he leapt onto his back and gave him a kick in the sides with his heels for good measure.

"Come on! You flattened me so you can carry me to the village. Call it payback."

Noishe would have tried to throw him off, but he knew from recent experience that once on his back Lloyd was too strong now to be dislodged. He might as well accept it gracefully.

The Arshis set off at a trot, quickly accelerating to his top speed in less than fifty yards. The two mile walk that would have taken Lloyd about three quarters of an hour at a steady pace, took just under a minute and twenty seconds on the back of the Arshis.

Hopping off of Noishe's back, Lloyd gave his ears a scratch before entering the village. Having gotten the ride and now being really early for school, he decided to head to Genis and Raine's house to pass the time and head to the school with them. It was just as he'd just gone up the wooden steps to the raised area the house stood on when a strange sound came from behind him.

It sounded like the sharp crack you get when you step on and break a dry stick, and after it there was a slight rattle as something fell to the floor.

Lloyd turned and picked up the grey fragment, taking several seconds to register just what it was he was holding... It was a piece of growth casing... Lloyd dropped it and looked under his arm and reta in excitement as his sharp hearing picked up dozens more tiny crackles and snaps. In a matter of seconds as he watched, the casings disintegrated leaving behind clear colourless membranes that he slowly gained a sense of as they unfolded and flushed with red as his body's mana spread out through them.

His wings... He finally had his wings!

Lloyd flapped the segmented appendages experimentally, finding that they passed though his reta as if it weren't there, but if he wanted to he could use a single thought to make them completely solid so that they would stay under it. He was still standing there experimenting when Genis came out the door to find him stood there in the middle of a scattering of small grey pieces.

The silver haired boy stopped dead in his tracks, gaping for several seconds before he dashed over just as excited as Lloyd was.

"Cool, your wings are out! That's awesome! What does it feel like?!"

Lloyd chuckled and grinned at his friend.

"It doesn't itch anymore, that's for sure. They feel like an extra set of arms all over again, like with the magic, but this time I know right away how to move them... Don't ask me to fly though because about that I have no clue. I'll try after school."

The look of disappointment on Genis' face was inevitable, but he accepted it.

"Awww. Now I can't wait for school to be over. Come on. Let's go to school now before Raine notices your wings... We'll be here all day if she does."

As Genis dashed into the house, leaving again with a quick shout to Raine where he was going, Lloyd stared at him as the boy then pushed him firmly down the wooden steps he had not that long come up.

"Why would she keep us here all day?"

Genis eyed him with an uncomfortable look before shaking his head.

"You don't want to know..."

With that the silver haired boy grabbed Lloyd by the wrist and towed the baffled youth down the street in the direction of Iselia's school.

-----------------------------------------------------

_Man I'm glad it was art today. I got that necklace started. Arrgg if only I hadn't forgotten! There's no way I'll get this done for tomorrow morning even if I work on it tonight! Not unless I give her one not as good as the one I want to..._

Lloyd sighed as he used the pair of pliers he kept in his desk to turn the bits of wire he had into a chain. So far no one had noticed the red wings now poking out from the bottom of his reta, and the nervous glances Genis occasionally gave his sister when her back was turned convinced him he wanted to keep quiet about them for now. Focusing on the thin wire he was bending into another tiny link, Lloyd bit back another sigh as Raine checked the clock she kept in one of her drawers and then rapped on the surface of her desk to get their attention.

"Put your projects away in the cupboard at the back of the room unless you want to take them home and finish them there. Make sure you bring your history homework in tomorrow as we'll be covering the details of the Kharlan Treaty and you'll need your notes on the Kharlan War. Now if you'll leave your desks tidy, you can go home."

The scuff of feet and the grumble of chairs being pushed under desks filled the room, as one by one the village children cleared away their things and went out the door.

Tucking the chain, wire, and pliers into the cloth bag he kept in his desk for his small projects, Lloyd tucked it into his pocket and it became Genis' turn to be towed. Grabbing the silver haired boy by the wrist, Lloyd headed for the door and called over to Raine.

"Genis and I are going to my house for a while. I'll bring him back to the village before it gets dark, ok?"

Raine, who was rummaging through her lesson notes ready for tomorrow, mumbled a faint acknowledgement and the two boys shot out the door.

It wasn't until they reached the South Gate a few minutes later that Lloyd stopped and whistled for Noishe as Genis frowned at him in confusion.

"Lloyd, if we go to your house and you get me back here before dark I'll have less than an hour to watch you practice..."

Lloyd smiled mischievously as the green and white Arshis came into view from the nearby trees.

"You know how Noishe is a Protozoan, not a dog?"

Genis' frown deepened.

"Yeah..."

"You're about to find out something I found out last week..."

Lloyd climbed up onto the Arshis' back, the slight look of amusement on that canine face telling him Noishe sensed a prank in the works. He moved to pull Genis up behind him, but after a moment's thought he changed his mind and pulled him up in front.

Genis now looked even more confused.

"I always ride behind... Why'd you put me in front?"

He started to look nervous as his friend chuckled.

"I think if I put you behind you'd get _left_ behind..." He tapped Noishe on the shoulder and pushed Genis flat to the Arshis' back at the same time. "Go as fast as you want."

The chuckle that rose from that canine throat did nothing to reassure the silver haired boy, who then yelped as Noishe went from standing to full acceleration in about four strides.

"_Whoaaaa!_"

Lloyd leaned flat over his friend, holding him in place as the wind of their passage pressed against them and whipped the end of his reta out behind them like a gale pulled flag. When they arrived at Dirk's house about two minutes later, for Noishe had gone a touch slower than his top speed this time, Genis just stood there in semi shock after Lloyd set him on the ground.

Getting down from Noishe's back as well, Lloyd tapped Genis on the arm to try and snap him out of it.

"Uh, Genis... Are you ok? Maybe that wasn't such a good idea..."

Genis brought a hand up to his head, staggering a little.

"Sooo fast... Dizzy..." He blinked several times, looking around a little confused. "We're here already?" He toppled over onto his rear. "...Cool..." Not wanting to waste precious practice time, Lloyd decided to try and wake him up. Taking up a casting stance, a couple of seconds later Lloyd's spell dumped a moderate amount of water right on Genis' head. That did the trick, and Genis leapt to his feet spluttering. "Wha? Where? ...Whoa, how fast was he running?!!"

Lloyd and Noishe chuckled.

"I don't know how fast it is exactly, just that it's fast. They're not kidding when they say an Arshis can 'run like the wind'. ...So, shall we go start seeing if I can manage to fly?"

The silver haired boy broke out into a grin and then dragged Lloyd towards the stream where there were a number of large boulders.

"Yeah! Come on, you can use the rocks over here to get some height!"

Reaching the rocks, Lloyd climbed up onto the lowest one, about two foot height, and spread out the glittering red segments of his wings. About to jump off, he stopped when Noishe strolled over and stopped him.

**You need to be higher than that...** Lloyd frowned and climbed a bigger one. **Higher... Higher... Higher... There.**

Lloyd was now stood on the top of the biggest of the streamside boulders, and almost twelve feet above the ground. Looking down at Noishe he asked the Arshis what to do next since he clearly knew.

"What now?"

Genis looked between Lloyd and Noishe, still not quite used to seeing what was to him a one sided conversation, even though he knew now that Lloyd could hear the Protozoan.

Noishe gazed up at Lloyd.

**Spread your wings up and back, crouch a little, and then jump and beat your wings down at the same time to take off. After that just try to glide down to the ground.**

Lloyd did as he was instructed, after all what he'd been told made sense. However the moment he jumped he knew something was wrong. Flapping his wings frantically as he felt there wasn't enough resistance to give him lift, he plummeted like a stone as Noishe burst into laughter.

Lloyd lifted his head up from where he'd landed face down in the dirt and scowled.

"_You KNEW that was going to happen! You...!_"

Noishe suddenly yelped as his head was shoved down to the ground by the small white wolf that had appeared out of nowhere and thumped down on him.

It smirked as the Arshis whimpered.

"That, Noishe, was a very inappropriate prank to play. You _know_ Sylvarant's mana levels aren't high enough for him to fly the normal way." The wolf looked up at Lloyd. "Remember me?"

The still grounded boy smiled. How could he not?

"Hi, Dalli."

Dalli gave him a canine grin, before glancing at the gawking half-elf next to him.

"No, you're not hearing things. I really am talking. I'm a lesser summon spirit, and I have a pact with Lloyd's father. I've been stopping by now and then to check on him over the years, and it looks like this time I chose just the right time to drop in... Didn't I, Noishe?"

The little spirit proceeded to grind his paw across the top of the whimpering Arshis' head, the canine version of a nuggie.

**Yep... Definitely...**

Dalli began to laugh as Noishe continued to whimper, before jumping off his head and walking over to Lloyd.

"Get up, Lloyd. _I'll_ tell you what you need to do to get flying..."

----------------------------------------------------

**Alaia Skyhawk: Most of you probably noticed the joke in the title. I couldn't resist the reference to that one shot. He he. And yeah, I made Lloyd's wings different from the game. The game ones don't fit with the idea of the Alurannai. Also about how fast Noishe can go, I made him FAST. 2 miles in 1 min 18 seconds is NINTY-TWO MILES AN HOUR! (147.2kph) The fastest recorded speed for a Cheetah is about 70mph (112kph), so his top speed is 22mph faster than that. He can only go that fast if on a road/path/flat terrain though, and only if he's not carrying too much. He can also only go that fast for a shot time, I wanted him to hit a high speed, but needed to keep it fairly realistic too. His crusing speed will be about 40-50mph (64-80kph).**


	7. Light of Heaven

**Alaia Skyhawk: And here is it, the first non-pre-game chapter in my series. I'll add that the dialogue won't be exactly the same as the game for two reasons. 1) Some of it I will have to change because of plot changes. 2) Because I'm not actually looking at the game for script references, I'm pulling all of it from memory.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 7: Light of Heaven

-

They stole through the forest that lined the eastern edge of the Iselian Plainlands. Fifty shadowed figures slinking between the trunks heading for the village just a few miles away. This was a day eighteen years in the making... The day the Plan would commence...

Stopping near a thicket, Botta let out a low whistle, signalling to the assembled forces to stop.

"Let's rest here for a moment." The Renegades gathered round. Twenty were in combat armour, the rest in the mid blue uniforms of field medics. Thirty medics for only twenty men and women. Over balanced you might say, but when you considered what the warriors had been asked to do, asked to face, it was, for the honour of the organisation, a mandatory precaution. He looked at the warriors, as he stood straight in the grey robe that was his chosen 'uniform' as Second in Command of the Renegades. "This is your last chance to back out. You won't be disgraced by doing so, though do know that every fighter may count. The fewer fighters, the more of our opponents that may have to be killed rather than just disabled."

The warriors remained silent, none of them moving. They'd known the risks when they'd volunteered for this. None of them were going to back down. Besides, if they were hurt in the coming raid they had the best medics from the ranks of the organisation to tend to their injuries.

The leader of the Medic's Squad walked over to Botta, putting a hand on his arm and gazing at him with bright blue eyes, her blond hair just peaking out around the edges of her light-weight visor-less helmet.

"Brother, we all do what we have to, because we know nothing will ever change unless we face the risks and try."

Botta turned and looked at her, his dark brown eyes filled with pride. His sister Brinia, who had never been out of the Triet Base in her life, was out here now leading half of a team that were about to carry out what would be the most important raid in the Renegade's history.

"You're right, Sister, and I know that with any injured being in your care they will get the best treatment possible, even out here so far from the base."

A female voice came out from beneath the trees, the speaker but a shadow as the haunting words drifted among them.

"'Once there was a Giant Tree, that was the source of Mana... A war however caused the tree to wither away, and a hero's life was sacrificed to take its place... Grieving over the loss, the Goddess left unto the heavens... The Goddess left the Angels with this edict... 'You must wake me, for if I should sleep the world shall be destroyed'... And so the Angels bore the Chosen one, who travelled unto the Tower, and that marked the beginning of the regeneration of the world'... Stirring words, but still the twisted dream of one lost to insanity, a killer of the innocent... Hail, Botta. Are you all ready?"

Another figure stepped out from the ranks, this time from among the warriors. Her white clothing, patterned with black, orange, and pink, bright even here beneath the trees.

Blue eyes steady, framed by loose tendrils of her charcoal grey hair, she regarded the shadow as the hawk on her shoulder fluffed his feathers.

"We're ready... When the light of the Oracle shines... we will strike..."

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The voices droned on, a collection of words which were meaningless to Lloyd. Why listen to and remember something his father could tell him with far more accuracy? Why look at the sketches on the blackboard when back at his family's home there was an album full of actual photographs from the war? His mind drifting as he sat at his desk, calling forth tiny fragments of distant memory that it tried but failed to piece together, he gazed off into the distance with his eyes ever so slowly drifting shut.

"Lloyd Aurion, wake up! ...Lloyd!"

A cloud of chalk dust rose into the air after the thud of the eraser hitting its target.

"Gahh!"

Lloyd sneezed as the dust went up his nose, the sound of footsteps reaching his side.

"Lloyd, I don't know what it is that's got your mind wandering, but could you at least _try_ to pay attention." Raine sighed in exasperation as she returned to her desk. "Never mind... Genis, you answer the question."

Genis glanced back at Lloyd as he got up, and then looked forward as his sister reached the front of the room.

"Yes, Raine. Mithos the Hero brought about the end of the Ancient War in the Holy Ground of Kharlan."

Lloyd started to take a little more interest. It might actually be a good idea for him to know what version of things the people out here knew.

Raine nodded.

"Correct. Mithos the Hero brought about the end of the war by making a pact with the Goddess Martel, to seal away the Desians whom had caused the war."

The moment she said 'Goddess' Lloyd became _very_ interested. He knew for a _fact_ that part was wrong. His father had helped to end the war, so he knew a goddess had nothing to do with it. He put his hand up, deciding to prompt her to continue.

"But the Desians came back and are making everyone suffer."

Raine sighed.

"Lloyd, when the mana declines the seal weakens, causing the Desians to return. The recent food shortages and droughts are also the result of the loss of the mana. It is the duty of the Chosen to fight the Desians and restore the mana. Now tell me, what is the purpose of the Journey of Regeneration? ...Collette."

The blond haired girl stood up, her face cheerful as always.

"The Journey of Regeneration is a journey to seal the Desians. The Chosen journeys to the Tower and offer their prayers to the Goddess Martel. The Desians are then sealed away, and Mana is restored."

Raine smiled.

"Correct. I guess I should have expected the Chosen herself would know the answer to that one... Now, on to the next question."

A sudden dazzling flare of light came in through the window, bringing the lesson to a startled halt as Collette spun to face the direction the light had come from. The direction of the Martel Temple.

"Professor! It's...!"

Raine ran to the door, the look in her eyes keeping Collette by her desk as she regarded her.

"If it is the Oracle the priests will come for you. Stay here with everyone else while I go check with the ones at the village chapel."

She left the school, a glance out the window showing she'd turned right and was heading towards the spire of the village's church at the eastern edge of the settlement. Collette stood at the opening, watching her go.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Raine fair yanked the door of the church open, as panting from the run she entered and headed for the door to the tiny chapel that was built onto the side of the larger church. Rapping on the door, it was opened a few moments later by one of the priestesses.

She looked surprised.

"Ms Raine, what brings you here? We were just in the middle of morning prayers."

Raine's expression was urgent.

"A light shines from the Temple, it may be the Oracle. I came to let you know so that one of you could escort Collette there."

The priestess was startled, and immediately roused her fellow members of the church and led both them and Raine to the door.

"Then we must go immediately and take her to... Ohh!!"

She had just reached the door, and immediately slammed it closed. As Raine peered out of one of the church windows, she saw why.

She gasped.

"Desians! What are they doing here?! This is a breech of the Non-Aggression Treaty!"

Another of the priests gazed out of the window beside her.

"They seem to be heading for the Sanctuary. Do not worry though. I assume the Chosen is still in the school. She will be safe if she stays there. As for those Desians, the Church Guards at the Temple will deal with them. The best thing we can to is wait here until the Guard come to let us know the Desians have been driven off. When they do the Chosen can go receive the Oracle."

Raine continued to look out of the window, her expression concerned.

"I hope you're right..."

--------------------------------------------------------------

The children in the school cowered down below the windowsills in fright, as a mob of Desian's in armour charged past outside. Collette was on the floor as well, having been thrown there by Lloyd from her place at the window as soon as the invaders had come into view.

"They've headed into the Sanctuary, probably because they think Collette will be there already. They wouldn't have known her lesson at the Temple was cancelled today."

Lloyd turned and headed for the door, Genis grabbing the sleeve of the red shirt the young alurannai had worn for the first time today beneath his reta.

"Lloyd! You can't go! It's too dangerous!"

Ignoring the stares, Lloyd drew himself up straight, for the first time in his life displaying the commanding air of the prince he was.

"Fifth Precept of the Alurannai: 'In times when one is certain, act as one would believe is right for the greater good.' Genis there are only _six_ Church Guards at the Temple. That was about _twenty_ Desians that just ran past. The Guard don't stand a chance! If the Desian's take control of the Temple Collette won't be able to even _receive_ the Oracle!"

A look of sudden panic crossed Collette's face as she gasped in realisation.

"Grandma! Grandma's at the Temple! We've got to do something!"

Knowing Collette was coming, Lloyd looked at Genis one more time.

"Genis, Collette's journey is about protecting people, saving the world... But how can we save it if we ignore the people fighting and dying right in front of us? ...We need your help Genis. I'm good with swords and Collette's good with her chakrans, but you're the best at spells we have right now, and we're going to need spells if we're going to drive them off."

Genis looked at both of their faces for a moment, and then nodded.

"Alright, let's go. But we take a good look at them before we go in. If it looks suicidal we hide and stay out of the way. Ok?"

Collette smiled.

"Sure. If we think we can't handle it, we won't go in and fight them."

Without another word to each other, and still ignoring the stares of their classmates, the trio raced out of the school house and turned left towards the path into the Sanctuary. They were just about to pass through the Sanctuary Gate when a shout behind them brought them to a stop.

Frank was running to catch up with them, holding something in his right hand. Reaching them, he handed the bundle he was holding to Collette.

"As soon as I heard Desians were heading into the Sanctuary I knew you'd go. I was going to give you these tomorrow before you left, but both your mother and I want you to have them now. Use them to do what you think is right."

Hesitating, she opened the bundle to reveal a brand new pair of chakrans, far better than the battered ones she had hanging on her back hidden by her hair. The new ones were as different from the old as chalk from cheese. Razor sharp edges were covered by retracting guards that would pull back from those edges when pressure on the ring was released when it was thrown. Collette had been taught to catch Chakrans by putting two fingers through the hole in the middle and gripping it, meaning her normal toss and grab would protect her hands from the edges. When not in use, a simple latch locked the guards in place.

Collette held them with awe.

"Where did you get these? I've never seen anything like them before?"

Frank looked at the chakrans and shrugged.

"I commissioned them from Dirk, but he didn't make them on his own. He told me a couple of acquaintances helped him design and make them. I can't complain though, they're far better than anything Aradine and I dreamed of when we decided we wanted you to have them to take with you."

Collette ran a finger over one of the latched guards, admiring the scrolling patterns etched on the chakran's surface.

Seeing them, it took all of Lloyd's self control not to gasp.

They were practically _covered_ with Sumaityr. The entire surface of both sides of both rings inscribed with line after line of Alurannai talisman work. The foundations for complicated enchanting that could be added to them later to turn them from mundane... to weapons that could harm and _kill_ an angel.

_What's going on? Why is she being given something that could be turned against the Angels later?_

He pushed the thought away. Until he regained more of his memory he'd be better not worrying about it.

"We'd better get going. We still might be needed at the Temple."

Collette passed her old chakrans to her father, hooking the new ones in place under her hair before she nodded at Lloyd and headed for the Sanctuary Gate.

"Yes... I have a job to do... For the people... For the world..."

Lloyd and Genis followed her, Frank watching them go.

"Good luck, my beloved daughter Collette..."

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**Alaia Skyhawk: He he, here we go...**


	8. Oracle

**Alaia Skyhawk: Need I say anything? Oh and one thing I'll point out just in case anyone reading this hasn't realised. Anna didn't die, so Lloyd isn't wearing an exsphere and being alurannai he doesn't actually need one.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

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Chapter 8: Oracle

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Brinia sat huddled near the unfolded stretchers she and her squad had prepared. Botta had left with the attacking squad almost twenty minutes ago now, and despite her faith in his strength she couldn't help but worry about him.

_This is it, the day we've prepared for so long in secret... Collette, my cousin... I wish you luck in the trials you will face on your long road. May my wishes reach the Spirits so that their blessings will bear you safely through them. Today is but the first... Today you may fight family and not know it... But what ever happens, we all believe in you..._

She tilted her chin up, looking at the tiny glimpses of sky through the spring canopy.

_I've never seen trees before, except in pictures. All I've ever known is the desert, and I realise now what I've missed because of my fear... Don't fear Collette. Stay strong, because this world needs you to be. We'll always be there, even though you won't know it, supporting you every step of the way..._

Brinia smiled, a smile that was a mirror of the Chosen's own. One day, sooner or later, she'd be able to tell her cousin face-to-face how much she cared...

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The three youths raced down the Sanctuary Road, the signs of the Desian's passing this way before them, plain to see even on this hard packed ground. Determination filled them, a courage born of conviction. Belief that they were doing the right thing...

'In times when one is certain, act as one would believe is right for the greater good'.

That is what they did right now. They did was they believed was right for the sake of Sylvarant. It didn't matter that they were little more than children, untried in the heat of battle, their hearts were strong with the will to succeed, and they were united by their trust and friendship.

As they ran, Lloyd could have sworn he saw Dalli out of the corner of one eye, perched on a rock watching them pass. When he looked though the spirit was gone, but even so he still felt that he had been there. He kept going, staying beside his two friends as they neared the cliff face that sheltered the Temple's dome. As it began to show above the trees to their left, the start of the 'Stairs of the Pilgrim's March' came into view.

The stairway rose more than a hundred feet above them, reaching up to where a ray of light soared into the skies.

Collette looked up at that light, her blue eyes wide as she gazed upon that which she had long been taught was a part of her destiny.

"'The Light of Heaven, the pure glow of a soul that accepts the love of the Goddess Martel. See it rise into the sky upon the Day of Prophecy, leading the Chosen to the start of their road. Rejoice, for the Tower of Salvation wilt come, when Martel's light bathes the sky...' This is why I was born, to see this, to follow it..."

"Ch-Chosen one..."

Now that they looked closer, they spotted a flash of church grey above them. Pulling himself to the edge of one of the several terraces leading up to the Temple, a priest looked down at them.

Collette gasped, and sprinted up the steps to his side, now aware of the sounds of battle high up on the Temple Plaza.

"Pastor Willan!"

The old man, one who had once believed the ways Aradine had been raised were right and true, one who came to see that a child was a child and should be treated as such, tried to lift his head as Collette dropped to her knees beside him. He was badly hurt, blood soaking the front of his priest's robe. As the Chosen One he'd been taught to revere tried to comfort him in his pain, he spoke in a bare whisper.

"Chosen, the Desians attacked the Temple. They are looking for you, you must leave here until it is safe. Some of them are defeated, but they still out number the Church Guard. High Priestess Phidra guards the Temple entrance. She refused to move even when we managed to clear an escape route for her. Don't make her effort a waste, leave here while you can!"

Lloyd and Genis watched as Collette lightly traced the symbol of a blessing upon the Pastor's forehead, before placing a single kiss upon it as well.

"You have served Martel with honour, faith, and devotion. You lie here now having put yourself at risk to serve her... How can I, the Chosen, sit back and watch as others do what I do not do myself? My journey will be filled with danger from start to end, this will be but the first of my trials..."

Pastor Willan managed a faint smile, his breathing becoming laboured.

"It has been an honour to watch over you, dear child. I have no regrets, and will face my end with the same courage that you have shown me now..."

Collette's face became concerned, then touched with denial when she realised the portent of his words.

"No... You have to hang on. Don't die, you have so much to live for!"

Lloyd came to her side, gaze focused on the priest as he tried to summon healing magic, tried to save him. The spell spluttered and died, as Pastor Willan's eyes began to drift closed.

"Farewell... Collette..."

He became limp, as Collette's eyes filled with tears.

"_No!_" She touched his still face with a hand that now trembled. "Rest, Pastor Willan... Let the Goddess' embrace guide you to the heavens of eternal light..."

She got up, and with her eyes still filled with tears she ascended a few steps towards the plaza and looked back at her two friends.

Stepping away from the now dead priest, Lloyd gripped his new swords and began to walk up the steps and past Collette where she waited for him and then followed. Not wanting to be left behind, Genis darted after them, hesitating only a moment before leaving the priest's body where it lay. When they reached the top the battle the sounds warned them of was as furious as the sheer noise of it had indicated. More than a dozen Desians were battling the handful of Church Guards in residence at the Temple. With Iselia having the Non-aggression Treaty the number of them here had been greatly reduced, those that left having gone to towns that were attacked frequently by the Desians.

This now proved to be a mistake, the few that remained were being overwhelmed, so much so that priests like the one who lay dead on the steps had moved in to fight alongside them, fiercely defending the High Priestess where she stood in the temple doorway behind them.

Lloyd was just about to launch himself into the fray when he spotted a pair of half-elves standing to one side and looking on. Reaching for his swords he suddenly froze when the female of the two turned and looked at him, her expression faltering with surprise and recognition for a moment.

Mika flinched before making the tiniest of gestures, an indication to go along with it, before she shifted to duck behind Botta who stood beside her.

In a split second a jumble of blurred memories in Lloyd's mind slid into place. Mika, the Renegades, and the true purpose of Cruxis, he now had his answer as to why the Alurannai had given Collette those Chakrans. He realised in that moment that this was a set up, done purely to keep Cruxis from suspecting anything was different this time. The priest dying was probably just a tragic result of the set up, the Renegades _had_ to make this look serious, even if it meant a few bystanders getting hurt.

He turned away from her and launched himself at the backs of the Renegades in front of the temple. His yell, far from being supposed to scare them, was actually to warn them he was about to attack. Lloyd pulled back his blows at the last second each time he struck, making sure the weighted blades didn't do any serious injury to his target. Forced to jump back as one of the Renegades made a cut at his stomach he heard his attacker hiss at him barely loud enough to hear.

"_Don't hold back so much! We all volunteered for this knowing we might be killed, but if that's the price of stopping Cruxis from discovering our plans then we're willing to pay it for the many lives it will save in the long run!_"

Startled, Lloyd stumbled a little as the Renegade pressed his attack on him, forcing him to use more and more of his strength. He wasn't surprised this man had recognised him, any Renegades would have been warned about him before hand. A passing glance to the side showed him that prior to his arrival several Renegades had already been killed... Lives given willingly for the sake of restoring the worlds...

He stopped hesitating and swung one of his blades around with all of his current strength. The Renegade's sword shattered, the shards spraying through the air even as his own sword struck the Renegade on the shoulder and bit deep into his torso. The Renegade dropped, his injury would be mortal if he were not attended to by a healer soon. Staring at the man he'd just hurt with horror, Lloyd didn't see the new attacker arrive to backup the attacking Renegades.

Completely oblivious to the new threat coming up behind him, oblivious to Phidra trying to get her granddaughter to run but inadvertently giving away who she was to the attackers, the next thing Lloyd knew was the shuddering impact as the heavily built Renegade that had just arrived smashed his mace into him. He slammed into one of the nearby walls, the mundane nature of the mace meaning it didn't hurt him that much, but it still knocked the wind out of him.

Dizzy and disoriented from the impact, the few seconds it took him to get his bearings was more than enough for the mace wielder to reach his two friends.

Collette shrieked and Genis cried out in terror, as the huge spiked steel ball came hurtling towards them while Lloyd looked on helplessly.

_But Collette is supposed to stay alive! We need her!_

There was a tremendous clang, the mace rebounding back on its wielder as a pair of steady brown eyes fixed on the man. He took a step back as a two foot long razor edged blade on the end of the woman's five foot wooden staff was pointed at his throat.

Genis and Collette sat stunned on the floor behind her she grinned at the mace wielder, the green tendrils framing her face a striking contrast to her black hair.

"Now that wasn't very nice... Maybe I should give you a lesson in manners..."

Lloyd stumbled to his feet, his face a picture of joy at seeing her.

"Vayla!"

She grinned over at him as she made the big guy back up. Her next statement was purely for those present who were not 'in' on the setup.

"It's good to see you, Lloyd. The Alurannai have decided to help out the Chosen on her journey since the Desian's have killed so many of the previous. It looks like I got here just in time."

The next few seconds she was little more than a blur as she proceeded to beat the crap out of the mace wielder. The man, bewildered afterwards as he held the tiny stump of chain left attached to the shattered remains of the mace's handle, stumbled backwards and fled, the two nearby officers looking on with concern that if Lloyd hadn't known better he would have sworn was genuine.

Botta made a break for it, the surviving Renegades grabbing their dead and wounded and following after him. Mika, hesitating as Fiuras hovered over her head, gave Vayla a steady stare of challenge.

"So... You decided to show up, huh? You don't scare me..."

The alurannai woman shouldered her glaive and returned the stare.

"Third Precept of the Alurannai: 'They who attack another with intent to harm, in doing so acknowledge that they may be killed in defence of those whom they attack'... Leave now and I'll let you live. Continue your current attempt against Collette and I _will_ kill you. That goes for _any_ Desian that makes an attempt against her life as long as she is under my protection."

Mika directed a look of disgust at Vayla before leaving, her contempt clear as her spirit partner made a rude noise before disappearing into thin air.

Lloyd heard Vayla's next comment in his mind as they watched Mika go.

**Man she's a good actor. If I didn't know she was pretending I would have sworn she wanted my head on a platter.**

Vayla walked over the Phidra.

"High Priestess Phidra, I am Vayla Targathyr of the Alurannai, and I'm here to aid Collette on her journey. Sylvarant is desperate for mana and despite the risks in revealing ourselves we've decided to step in and help her."

Phidra looked more than a little stunned, and as she tried to gather her thoughts Vayla healed the injuries that the Church Guards and the priests had suffered from the attack. Finally after the men and women who had just been healed pulled themselves to their feel, Phidra finally found her voice.

"I-It is an honour. I, High Priestess of the Church of Martel, accept your offer with gratitude."

Vayla bowed her head with respect, as the priests and the Church Guard looked on in awe at being in the presence of this confident and powerful member of the legendary Alurannai. Lloyd they had known for a long time and so with him familiarity had dulled the effect, but this woman was a complete stranger and so seeing her made a big impact upon them.

"We all do what we must for the sake of the world. The Alurannai are guardians of life, and Sylvarant will die if something isn't done. It is my duty to do this, and I am honoured that I was the one who was asked by Narim Breuntas to perform this task. You have my word, as long as Collette is under my protection, no Desian will harm her." Vayla turned and looked at the Chosen as she walked over. "It you're ready, we can enter the Temple now and head to receive the Oracle."

Collette nodded, and then glanced over her shoulder at Lloyd and Genis.

"I'm ready, but I want my friends to come as well."

The Alurannai woman inclined her head.

"That's fine with me. Let's go."

Phidra stood aside, watching as the group of four walked out of the light and into the Temple.

----------------------------------------------------

It was dim inside the Temple, the few lanterns hung here and there providing only a little light, though the darkness was no problem for Vayla and Lloyd. Leading Genis and Collette through the shadows, they walked at the front, weapons at the ready just in case. Their footsteps echoed off the stone walls, only adding to the eeriness of the otherwise silent passages. Passing through this place, a place that suddenly seemed so distant from the outside world, Lloyd reached out to their 'rescuer' with his mind and 'spoke'

**Vayla... I recognised Mika out there, the Renegades. I remembered about Cruxis too, but...**

She didn't show any outward sign of having heard him, but her response was reassuring.

**You've spent thirteen years believing that the Angels are good, and now you remember that they're not. It's understandable that you're feeling a bit confused right now... I see that Collette has been given her 'present', and I'm guessing you've realised what all the etching on them is for and that's part of what's causing the confusion. In case you're wondering where they came from, Dirk gave us the basic measurements and also information on how she was trained to use them, but the designing and crafting were done by Rennan and Yuan... They worked on them for almost a **_**month**_** before they were satisfied...** There was amusement in her tone, making it clear that the version Collette was using was actually the last of several. ** I suppose though when I consider what she'll be facing, I can't blame them... We can talk more later, but for now we need to concentrate on what we're doing here.**

Lloyd kept looking ahead, following her example and not letting the silent conversation show in his expression.

**Alright... **His 'voice' trembled a little. **Vayla... Did you find Alysii?**

This time Vayla _did_ react. She flinched, but the dim light was enough to hide it from the two behind them. The pain in her tone made him regret even asking.

**...No... We didn't... But we haven't given up, you're proof that having searched an area doesn't mean she's not there. You were missed six times before Yuan's nephew came across you by accident... We'll keep looking, for as long as it takes...**

That was the end of the conversation, Lloyd knew it, and it would seem it was at a good time for they had just reached the entrance to the way up to the altar chamber.

A glowing shield covered it, a rippling expanse of light that went from wall to wall across the passage. Just a short way beyond it was a great stone door, the symbols upon which were also glowing and no doubt the source of the barrier.

Collette stepped forward, looking at the shield.

"I should have remembered this. The writing on the door says we need the Sorcerer's Ring to open it. It's the way the Angels make sure the Chosen gets it, for it's a tool needed at each of the Seals. When the mana begins to decline the Ring is said to appear in a room in the depths of the Temple, and then when mana is restored upon completion of the journey the Ring stays with the Angels until the mana begins to fade again." She turned and faced them, inordinately cheerful considering she'd just told them they'd walked to this door for nothing and now had to go fetch something. "Let's go get it. I think I know which room it will be in."

As she watched the girl start walking back down the hallway, Vayla blinked a couple of times.

**Does she act this cheerful very often?**

Lloyd sighed quietly as the two of them and Genis followed after her.

**Most of the time, actually. She only acts serious when there's going to be a fight or something important like that. The rest of the time she always follows her motto. 'Look on the bright side and smile'.**

Vayla sighed as well.

**It could be worse, she could have been grumpy. Escorting an always cheerful Chosen is a lot better than that.**

They caught up the Collette and Genis, this time with the girl leading them down various sets of stairs into the bowels of the Temple. It was quite a while later, with Vayla sure that they must be under the cliff now rather than the Temple structure itself, that the girl stopped in front of a large stone door that was also glowing with symbols like the one they had recently seen.

Collette looked at it and grinned.

"I was right! The writing says, 'Enter here if thou seek the sacred ring'. Come on!"

She put a hand to the door and pushed it open. Stepping inside only to stop with a shriek.

Vayla leapt over her head and into the room beyond her, coming face to face with a mob of absolutely _huge_ spiders. They were the size of an average dog, with fangs as long as her hand that glistened with venom. They hissed at her, a sudden chorus of clicking filling the air like a roar, a sign that there were more than just the ones they could see. One lunging at her, Vayla cut it in half with a swing of her glaive and sent a burst of raw fire mana down the hallway charring more than a dozen others to ash.

"I can't keep doing that. In a confined space like this, this far underground, if I keep burning them I'll use up all the air in here and smother us." What she'd really meant was she'd smother Collette and Genis, but they didn't need to know that. "Genis, if you know any ice magic then you can help me freeze them to whatever surface they're touching. Collette, if you see any above us knock them to the floor. Lloyd, once they're trapped by ice, help me finish them off with your swords or use some wing spells if you like." Seeing his puzzled expression, she demonstrated on the next spider to head their way. A burst of ice stuck it like glue to the floor, and then a few mana flung violet feathers cut it to shreds. She grinned at the look of shock on Genis and Collette's faces. "These wings of mine aren't just good for flying. Now let's go!"

That jolted them into action, and so began a march against the hordes of dog-sized spiders that came down the passage towards them, were knocked screeching from the ceiling by Collette's chakrans, and even crawled out of openings in the walls behind them. The extensive use of ice by Vayla and Genis made the temperature in the passage plummet, the cold slowing down the spiders that had yet to be frozen in place. Silver flashed as glaive and sword cleaved through the trapped masses, highlighted by the occasional flurry or scarlet or violet feathers.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity of hissing, clicking, and ear rending screeches, they found themselves no longer under siege and just a short way from an open stairway leading down into a chamber beyond.

The chamber was huge, dominated by a platform of suspended blue-green glass that linked their stairway to another heading down to the mist obscured floor far below.

Stepping cautiously onto that transparent surface, Genis looked around at it in awe.

"Wow. This thing is huge... I wonder what those piles of rocks are for though."

He pointed to one of several tumbled piles of what looked like semi-worked stone. Each was located near to a square hole in the glass platform.

Without any regard for possible danger, Collette walked right up to one. She was just about to tap it with a finger when Lloyd felt a sudden twist of mana erupt inside of it.

"Collette! Look out!"

She stumbled backwards, tripping on her own feet and falling over. The trip saved her, for a great arm formed of stone fragments swept through where she had been just a moment before. She stared up in shock as a stone golem rose above her, lifting up that arm again to bring it crashing down on her. As it came hurtling towards her, Collette closed her eyes and covered her head with an arm in a futile defence.

"GUARDIAN!"

There was a resonating chime, almost like a bell, repeated again and again as the golem pounded the glowing sphere of green light held in place by Vayla as she stood between it and the girl. Glaive held out horizontal before her, she didn't so much as move an inch despite the sheer force of each impact.

A ripple in the room's mana signalled a coming spell, as Genis, focusing on the rhythm of wielding the kendama he'd pulled of his belt, pulled that power to himself as he chanted under his breath. He released it, sending it ploughing into the golem.

"WIND BLADE!"

The stone construct was pushed back by its elemental opposite, giving Vayla the space she needed. A wave of her hand, followed by a thrust of her will, and she ripped the enchantments out of the heart of the stone beast and every other one upon the platform. One by one, they collapsed upon themselves, turning into blocks of stone carved with symbols. The source of the hint of crafting they'd seen from a distance. Turning to the girl on the floor behind her, Vayla offered her a hand, pulling her to her feet once she'd took hold of it.

"Be more careful next time. Never assume something isn't dangerous. Learn from this, and know that in the trials ahead not all will be as it seems." She looked around at the new collection of blocks. "I think it's fairly obvious what has to be done here." She waved her hand again, a gust of wind racing around the chamber, pushing each block to fall through the square hole its location corresponded to. "I think if we go down below, we'll find the path to what we seek will be open... Collette, this is your trial, if you would like to lead the way."

As Genis stared at the alurannai woman with awe at her mastery of magic, Collette led the way down the stairs at the far side of the platform. When they descended below the level of the mist they found a long winding pathway marked onto the stone floor, gaps in it filled where a block had fallen into the pit meant for it. Along a channel in that path flowed a line of mana between a symbol on the floor at the start of the path and a matching symbol at its end. Beyond that far symbol they could see the fading remnants of a barrier surrounding a pedestal.

Genis examined the line of mana with interest.

"I see, to release that barrier over there the mana had to be able to go from here to the other side through this channel, and the blocks fill the gaps."

Vayla, watching as Collette walked over to the pedestal and picked up the object upon it, patted him on the shoulder and nodded.

"A simple but effective task, to test the strength of the Chosen and her protectors. If we could not have passed what we faced here, then there would have been no chance of her passing the trials at the seals. I know I played a big part in her passing this, but I don't doubt that she'll grow strong in her own right as the journey progresses." Collette returned to them, holding a ring set with a large red stone. "Well then, since we have what we need, I think there's an Oracle we need see."

Collette, once again smiling that cheerful smile, nodded and once again led the way, this time back along the arachnid strewn passage and up through the various levels of the Temple which they had descended to reach the trial for the Sorcerer's Ring. Upon reaching the sealed door to the altar chamber, she pointed the ring at it and spoke a single word.

"_Fiirei..._"

The jewel on the ring shone in response to the angelic command word, sending a bolt of fire to strike the door behind the barrier. Red light radiated out over the door, as the enchantments recognised the touch of the ring's power and released the seal upon the entrance.

The light fading, the stone doorway opened revealing the stairway leading up to the altar chamber. They walked up it pausing as they came out beneath the Temple's dome which arched high above them, its central circular panel of crystal pierced by they ray of light blazing up from the Cruxis Crystal on the altar. The two alurannai and the half-elf stayed where they were, as the blond haired Chosen walked over to stand in a circle deeply carved into the floor before it.

The light faded, the Crystal now only resonating where it lay upon the circular platform. A flare of new light lit the room, and suddenly there above them hovered an angel.

He looked down at them, clothed as he had been on the day of Collette's birth, in gold edged green. Golden hair fair as deep blue eyes gazed at her, he spoke with a tone of benevolence.

"I am Remiel. I am an angel of judgement, sent to guide Chosen One Collette on her journey to Heaven." The Crystal on the altar rose to his hand, and then drifted over to Collette at his gesture to settle at the base of her throat. The Crystal flared, and moments later the glow faded to leave it in place, the red stone set within a mount of gold upon her pale skin. "Behold as Collette, Chosen of Mana, becomes the Chosen of Regeneration. We of Cruxis bless this event, and so bestow the Tower of Salvation upon Sylvarant..."

There was a distant tremor, and looking out of the window to the east they saw a shimmer of light reach up into the sky from far far beyond the horizon. When it faded one could see if one looked carefully, the hint of light as the glow of the sun hit the side of the colossal tower.

Genis walked up to the window, awestruck.

"The Holy Ground of Kharlan is thousands of miles from here... How high must the Tower to go to see the light reflecting off it from so far away?"

His question went unanswered as Remiel continued to focus his attention on Collette.

"Head south to the Seal of Fire. There you will face your next trial. I will await you at the Seal, Chosen One."

In light he had come, and in light he left, a few soft white feathers drifting down and fading away before they touched the altar.

Watching as Collette touched the stone now at her throat, Vayla finally lifted the hand from Lloyd's shoulder that she'd put there to stop him from interfering.

**Sometimes we do what we must for the sake of the world... Even if it means having to watch someone suffer...**

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Whew, looooooooooooooooong chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. I've edited quite a bit in this. I always thought that having monsters randomly appear in the hallways of the temple was wierd, so I created a separate area deep under the temple where that test would take place. I made the floor under the glass platform solid with that 'path' idea, since in the game the gaps were actually jumpable, if the characters had actually been able to jump gaps on command. Lastly I took the 'seventh Chosen' bit out of Remiel's speech, since to only have 7 Chosens in all over 4 thousand years wasn't really realistic.**


	9. A Mistake with a Price

**Alaia Skyhawk: Let the plot twisting continue. I'm keeping as many of the game events as possible in this, though the way they're triggered might not be the same. This chapter is an example of that.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

**On a special note, I would like to recommend the story 'Second Restoration' by Sparkling Moon Phoenix. She's just started it, but I can tell it's going to be a great story. A link to it can be found at the top of my profile.**

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Chapter 9: A Mistake with a Price

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The group of armoured figured ran into the camp, startling the people who were sat here in this part of the forest waiting for them. Many of the twenty were injured, and at least a few of those being carried were dead. Working with brisk efficiency those that were 'walking wounded' were separated, and then the dead separated from the remainder. Fire spells dealt with the corpses, and a few well placed healing spells stabilised the rest. Once they were all loaded onto stretchers, the leader of the Medics made the call.

Brinia broke into a run, ignoring the blood on her hands from readying those not able to walk to be carried.

"Move! We have as long as it takes for the Oracle to happen to get as far from here as possible. Pick those feet up and _move!_"

The urgency in her voice was warranted, for as soon as attention in the village was on the Tower to appear in the distance, Cruxis would be free to send out some means of retaliation. The sooner they made it to the 'Hide', the sooner they would be safe. The Hide was a cave roughly ten miles from Iselia, a cave that had been extensively concealed with illusions by the Alurannai in preparation for getting the raiders out of harms way once the first stage of the plan had been completed. Jiisumura positioned throughout the area would let the Renegades know afterwards if Cruxis had indeed tried to catch the perpetrators. If they did, then it meant Yggdrasil had taken the bait and believed the attempt on Collette's life to be genuine.

Botta came up beside her, holding the pace with the ease of one used to a life of long distance running. She smiled at him, unlike him getting a little out of breath.

"How did it go?"

He smiled back.

"It went well. Only four casualties on our side, two on theirs, a good result on that part. As for convincing Cruxis it was genuine, if the fight the priests and their guards were putting up was any indication, it looked _very_ real from their perspective."

Her eyes darkened, her expression becoming slightly grim.

"Six people dead... Six lives to pay for keeping those Cruxis bastards in the dark. I don't like it, but I know it couldn't be helped."

Neither of them said any more. They didn't need to. All that mattered now was getting these people to safety. The ball was in the Alurannai's court now.

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"So where have the Alurannai been all this time? Why did they all hide after the war ended?"

Genis was walking backwards, looking up at Vayla as they headed for the Temple entrance. Having gotten over his initial awe, his curiosity was kicking in and the inevitable questions had followed.

Vayla smiled at him. He was young, only twelve, and the questions were ones she could answer freely to a certain extent.

"We've lived scattered across the world in small settlements, in the places where other people don't go. We hid away because it's our duty to watch over the Giant Tree, and until a new one grows all we can do is wait. Waiting with the people looking at you, wondering why that if the Tree was gone, we were still around... It was decided it would be kinder in the long run for us to stay out of sight." Her eyes became shadowed. "Then there's the fact that right after the Tree died we were all still in shock. From the day we are born to the day we die we're bonded to the Tree. When it died those bonds were severed, and suddenly we were overcome by a loss which hurt us right to the very core of our souls." She saw the puzzled look on his face as he took in the way she'd phrased it. "Yes, I was there. The Alurannai live a long time, up to ten thousand years. I'm only middle aged by our standards."

Genis was wide eyed, as was Collette, nearly tripping over his own feet in surprise.

"Ten thousand years? Whoa... So, how old are you?"

Vayla chuckled.

"In our way of measuring age, danne, I'm fifty-three. In years though... I'm five thousand three hundred and ninety-eight. I was born four hundred and fourteen years before the start of the Ancient War in case you're wondering."

Genis' expression became thoughtful as he worked something out.

"So that means the war started..."

"Four thousand nine hundred and eighty-four years ago..."

"Oh... Thanks..." Genis suddenly looked excited. "Wait! If you were alive during the war, did you ever get to meet Mithos the Hero?"

Now that was getting into dangerous territory. Her reply wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the actual truth either when applied her personally.

"The Alurannai are strictly neutral. We weren't involved in the war at all except for just after it started and one of the Human Nations tried to make use side with them. Apart from that things were quiet for us until the Tree began to die. After that we were left trying to save it, but our efforts, and those of Mithos and his companions, didn't succeed in time and it died..."

The pain in her voice was genuine, and it was enough to stop any further questions. Genis fell silent as they arrived in the entrance chamber of the Temple... Arrived to be confronted by a certain extremely upset silver haired woman.

"Genis! How could you risk leaving the school! Those Desians could have killed you!"

As Raine charged over towards him, the young boy ducked behind Vayla in panic.

"S-Sis... I uh..."

Both understanding his sister's feelings, and his, Vayla decided to help him out a bit with a few not quite correct statements. She offered Raine a hand in greeting, causing the woman to stop in confusion just as the she reached her.

"I assume you're Genis' sister. I'm Vayla Targathyr of the Alurannai. Your brother got to the Temple just after I arrived and drove off the Desians. Collette wanted both him and Lloyd to come with her when she received the Oracle and I escorted the three of them together. It was no problem and there was no danger involved. Also your brother's behaviour has been exemplary."

Raine, still rather stunned, numbly shook the offered hand.

"I uh, I'm Raine. Raine Sage, the teacher at Iselia's school." She seemed to recover a little. "He was well behaved? In no danger?"

Butter wouldn't have melted in Vayla's mouth.

"He was no trouble at all."

Raine looked relieved, then a hint of anger returned again and she glared at Genis who was now creeping out from behind his defender.

"That still doesn't change the fact that you left the school when you should have stayed there. You are going to have double homework for the next week. You got that?"

Genis nodded, looking suitably subdued. Though truth was he was mentally heaving a huge sigh of relief.

"Yes, Sis. I'm sorry."

Raine's expression softened a little.

"Alright, I accept your apology. Now get back to the village. I'm going to be staying here for a bit. Priestess Phidra has given me permission to study the Temple for a few hours, something that's a very rare opportunity... Now go on, home..."

Raine walked off down a side passage, muttering away to herself as she started scribbling away in a note book she'd pulled from a pocket.

Leaving her to her studies, the four of them headed out of the door, only for Lloyd and Vayla to pause and look back.

Lloyd frowned.

"Did I just hear someone shout 'marvellous'?"

Vayla nodded, also frowning but also looking a little disconcerted.

"Yeah, and it was followed by some rather disturbing laughter... I wonder what _that _was about..."

Genis stared at them, looking like he was going to faint. Grabbing both of their arms he pulled them down the first of the 'Stairs of the Pilgrim's March'.

"You don't want to know... And Vayla, I think you'd better not tell Raine how old you are..."

"...Why am I getting a bad feeling about this?"

----------------------------------------------------

The two boys stared at the assembled adults in shock... Shock, and disappointment tinged with frustration.

"What do you mean we can't go?! Vayla! You want me to keep staying here alone with no other alurannai? I thought I would finally have someone to talk to who would understand certain things I want to ask, and now you tell me you're going off without me?!"

Vayla got up from her chair and put her hands on his shoulders. They were in the house of the Mana Lineage, with Phidra, Frank, and Aradine to discuss who would be going with Collette as her escorts on the Journey of Regeneration.

"Lloyd, it's not that I don't think you're strong enough, or able enough, but because in a few months time your father will be coming for you." Lloyd froze. "If you stay here then he'll know you're safe. The Desians came after you once all those years ago to try and get at him. At least here in Iselia you're protected by the Non-Aggression Treaty."

Genis muttered under his breath.

"A lot of good _that _did today..." He looked pleadingly at Phidra. "Please, let me go as well. I'll be all alone in the village with Raine and Collette gone, and Lloyd after that... Please..."

Aradine sighed, her expression sympathetic.

"Genis... Raine agreed to go with Collette over a year ago... and has already asked Frank and I to look after you while she's gone. You'll be by no means alone. As for the Journey itself, three of the Church Guards were going to go along as well, but with Vayla going now they'll be staying to protect the Temple and Iselia in case there's any more trouble. Your sister just wants you to be safe."

Genis looked from one adult to another, seeing the same expression on each face.

"But..."

They all shook their heads. Sighing, Lloyd put a hand on Genis' shoulder and led him to the door.

"Come on, Genis. Let's go for a walk or something..."

The two of them left the house, and had just reached the path outside the gate of the small garden when the door behind them opened.

"Wait... Please wait!" Collette stopped at the top of the porch steps, looking down at them with what was probably the first ever sad expression they'd seen from her. "I'm sorry..."

Lloyd looked up at her, as Genis sighed.

"You dork, it's not your fault."

She smiled.

"Oh yeah... I'm sorry."

"Collette you don't need to... Ah, never mind."

Genis suddenly blinked.

"Oh I almost forgot, what with all that's happened. Happy birthday, Collette. I made you some cookies. I'll drop them off later."

Lloyd scuffed his foot on the floor.

"I uh, my present isn't finished yet. I'll try and get it done before you leave tomorrow."

She nodded and continued to smile.

"Alright. You heard the time Vayla said we'd be leaving right?"

Lloyd let out a bigger sigh this time... He really didn't like being left behind, but he wasn't going to disobey her either.

"Tomorrow at noon... I guess I'll see you then."

She started heading back to the door.

"Yeah... See you tomorrow, Lloyd."

The door closed, leaving Lloyd and Genis standing alone on the path outside the garden. Pushing back his disappointment, the young Nartu turned and headed for the South Gate.

"C'mon, Genis. Let's go down to the river or something."

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A rock splashed into the water, sending out ripples that were quickly consumed by the flow of the river. Standing on the pebble strewn bank, Genis picked up another stone and threw it.

"It's not fair! We faced all those spiders in the Temple, then the golem, and because Vayla talked me out of getting into trouble with Raine I can't even tell them I know I'm strong enough to help!"

Lloyd looked down at him from his perch up in the branches of a nearby tree, have flown up there, albeit shakily.

"Same here, I can't tell them how much _I_ did either. Not without getting you in trouble, and I doubt it would change Vayla's mind about me anyway. Not if my ata is really going to be coming for me."

Genis stopped just as he was about to throw another rock, looking puzzled.

"'Ata'?"

Lloyd sighed for seemed like the thousandth time since that meeting back at Collette's house.

"It's Sumaityr for 'dad'. The formal version is 'atasi', which means 'father'. Put 'in' on the start of them and you get 'inata' and 'inatasi', which mean 'grandpa', and 'grandfather'. The word for 'mom' is 'myrta', the same sound rules apply to that to turn it into the other variations." He dropped down from the tree. "That's how you get my title too, and the ones of my ata and insiatasi, that's great-grandfather. 'Nar' is Sumaityr for 'royal', so 'Nartu' is royal-lesser in literal, or Prince. 'Tu' turns a word down a rank in the formal if it's on the end. So then you get my ata's title, Inartu..."

Genis nodded in understanding.

"You get higher rank-royal-lesser. Crown Prince, like Phidra said." Lloyd smiled and nodded in confirmation. "Cool. Sumaityr sounds like a really interesting language. You think you could teach me some before your ata comes for you?"

The young Nartu's smile widened into a grin.

"Sure. We can start now if you want. Like this word, 'myru', means sister, and..."

Lloyd stopped, turning his head as though listening to something.

Genis ran over to him.

"What is it?"

Lloyd started walking away, heading for the sound.

"I can hear someone laughing and giggling to themselves... Like they're doing something they think is funny."

Following the river, they walked for almost two hundred yards before they found the source of the laughing.

Right on the border of Iselia's lands, right next to one of the marker stones, a Desian was hopping back and forth over the border giggling like a little kid pulling a prank. Now that they were closer, they _both_ could hear him. Back and forth, back and forth, the Desian stepped forward and back across the border like some child playing an inane game.

It was just too much for Genis. After all that had happened today from his point of view. 'Desians' attacking the Temple. 'Desians' trying to hurt Collette. 'Desians' killing Pastor Willan and one of the Church Guards. That along with his frustration at being left behind brought his anger to a head.

He took aim with a spell, but was too enraged to think of timing the strike to hit the Desian when he was actually stood on Iselian soil.

Too late to stop it, Lloyd watched as lightning cracked off the Desian's helmet just after he'd jumped backwards, the scorch mark where the strike followed the metal of his armour down to the earth through his boots lying clearly on ground not belonging to the village.

The Desian ripped his now scalding hot helmet off and glared at them from below a mop of singed green hair.

"You just broke the Non-Aggression Treaty! You hit me outside of the border! You'll pay for that you little runts! By rights of the agreement I can take that out of your hides!"

The Desian whipped up a ball of raw lightning mana and sent it screaming towards Genis in retaliation. Lloyd didn't even think, he just jumped in front of Genis and caught the ball, absorbing it and throwing it back as water mana without even thinking about it.

The transformed ball hit the Desian and sent him sprawling backwards several feet, soaking wet. The man got up, his expression now venomous.

"You resist the terms of the Treaty, the village pays the price! I would have left it at just scorching him, but mark my words Lord Forcystus will hear of this!"

The Desian picked up his helmet and ran off in the direction of the Iselia Ranch... as with a sickened feeling the two boys helplessly watched him go.

Genis had earned his personal retaliation... But Lloyd had compounded it and turned it into a potential disaster. All they could hope was that the leader of the Ranch would question what exactly his lackey had been doing on the border in the first place.

Lloyd put a hand on Genis' shoulder, turning him back towards the village.

"I think we'd better get out of here..."

-----------------------------------------

That night was filled with dread for Lloyd. Worrying about whether the Ranch would retaliate dominating his mind to the point where he hadn't even been able to get any of Collette's necklace done. Unable to concentrate on it, he'd gone to bed early only to discover that in his anxiety he'd inadvertently turned off his need to sleep for the first time. With no clue how to turn it back on again, he was forced to lay there looking at the ceiling as his thoughts constantly ran in panicked circles for the entire night.

Morning couldn't come too soon, and before it was even fully light he was already heading for Iselia. As he neared it, expecting to round the last clump of trees and find it a smoking ruin, he was beyond relief when he saw everything was as it should be.

The morning passed as it should. He greeted Raine when she arrived at the village square near the South Gate with her pack for the journey and a brother in tow that looked as covertly relieved as Lloyd did. After chatting to them for a while, the villagers beginning to gather, it was as the sun was nearing zenith that a cheer went up and the three of them turned to see Collette and Vayla coming towards them with Aradine, Frank, and Phidra coming along behind.

Collette began to circle the mass of villagers, smiling as they wished her good luck and thanking them as she went from one group to another. She was just about to go to the last group when a woman screamed and pointed out of the South Gate.

What Lloyd and Genis saw in that moment filled them with guilt and horror.

A mob of Desians were assembled beyond the gate, two twisted and wailing creatures held tethered by chains as they tugged towards the villagers with clear intentions. At the front of the mob was the Desian from the day before, beside which stood a man with teal coloured hair and a red crystal eyepiece covering his right eye. He pointed at them with the strange cylinder covering his left arm.

"One of my men has informed me that he was struck by an individual with spell while stood on land outside of Iselia's border. Upon carrying out his right to retaliate with like for like, a second individual intervened resulting in him being stuck a second time. As the resistance to his right to retaliate constitutes a breach of the Treaty, I, Lord Forcystus Grather of the Desian Grand Cardinals, here invoke my right to exact punishment upon the two individuals involved." He glanced at the green haired Desian. "Point them out."

Genis and Lloyd wanted to shrink back into the crowd and hide, but their consciences wouldn't let them. Instead they stood there, eyes fixed on the ground, as the Desian pointed them out and the assembled villagers gasped in shock and backed away from them.

Raine was horrified, but before she could say anything Vayla spoke instead.

"Before you exact this punishment, why not ask Genis and Lloyd _why_ they did it... It certainly makes me wonder what a solitary Desian was doing near Iselia's border."

The green haired man flinched as Forcystus' face became thoughtful.

"A valid point... Very well... Explain."

Lloyd put a hand on Genis' shoulder, letting him know he would do it. Taking a deep breath, he started to talk.

"Genis and I were walking along the river, passing time since school was cancelled for the rest of the day and Collette was in the meeting to prepare for her journey. After a while I heard a strange noise, laughing, so we followed the sound and found him," Lloyd pointed at the green haired man, "giggling like a little kid while playing hopscotch back and forth across Iselia's border."

Forcystus turned slowly to look at the now rather nervous man.

"Is that true?"

"Well, uh... I uh..."

Lloyd continued.

"Genis was still really upset about the Desians attacking the Temple and killing a priest and a Church Guard. Seeing that guy acting like the border was a joke was too much and he threw a spell at him... Unfortunately the guy jumped backwards just before it hit him... A split second earlier and he'd have been on _village_ land when the lightning spell struck. When he threw a spell at Genis right after that, I rebounded it back on him and after that he stormed off."

Phidra stepped forward, the puzzlement on Forcystus' face was clear.

"The attack on the Temple... Your face says you didn't know about it..."

Forcystus paused, thoughtful as the villagers watched with bated breath.

"...I didn't..." He looked Phidra in the eyes. "I told you once before, when I agreed to sign the Treaty, that I was a man of honour... I am still that man, and under these circumstances I cannot condone these two to be punished for what was in truth the culmination of several unfortunate instances. The rogue Desians that attacked the temple, I will search for and punish should I catch them within the lands under my Ranch's jurisdiction. On that you have my word... As for the individual who was playing 'hopscotch' at the border... _He_ will be punished also..." The green haired gaped, then started struggling and yelling as he was dragged away by a number of his fellows. Forcystus turned and walked away. The next words were directed at the men holding back the wailing creatures. "We'll never get those Exbelua back into the Ranch... Kill them and leave them... The rest of you, move out!"

The wails were cut off in a screech of pain, the two Exbelua dropping to the ground as the Desians left them there and walked out of sight. As soon as they were gone, Vayla broke into a run and ran to them while Raine yelled after her.

"What are you doing? Those things could still be alive and dangerous."

Vayla's call drifted back, prompting Raine and a few others to run towards them as well.

"I'm strong enough to restrain them if I have to, and I'm counting on them being alive. I'm not going to stand back and watch two Ranch prisoners die!"

They stopped a few yards away from the writhing...things... Lloyd, Genis and Collette beside Raine with a handful of others gathered behind them.

One of the creatures began to shrink, clearly becoming a man with a tormented face. Vayla turned away from him, concentrating on the other as Raine took a step forward.

"Why are you leaving him?!"

Vayla's answer was curt.

"If he's doing that then he's already too close to death to save. Only when they're almost gone do they revert." She ran a finger over a device fastened around her left wrist, seconds later a disk of gold tinged metal appearing out of nowhere in her grasp... A key crest... " She clipped it over a mottled blue sphere on the creature's clawed hand, and then held her arms out over the trembling mass. "Essence of light and hope. I call for you to release this soul from purgatory... RESSURECTION!"

Power streamed from her hands, settling over the creature which then stiffened and shrieked. The shriek became a woman's scream, and as the light faded Vayla reached down and lifted something up to lean against her.

It was an old woman, grey hair hanging to her shoulders above the rough cloth of her prisoner's garb. She stirred, brown eyes opening weakly as she moaned.

"Where... Where am I?"

Vayla reached down and removed the now suppressed sphere from the woman's hand, a flick of the same hand magically pulling the sphere from the hand of the now dead man behind her.

"You're safe... I'll see to it the Desians never get their hands on you again... Now rest and trust that I will take you to safety."

The woman's eyes closed, as she drifted into exhausted slumber.

Vayla got up, picking up the woman as though she weighed no more than a child as she looked at Lloyd and Genis.

"You two, go home and pack a bag each. I'm not leaving _either_ of you here after that. Make it fast... I want to be out of here within the hour."

Neither boy questioned her. Genis racing back through the gate and through the crowd of confused villagers. Lloyd leaping onto Noishe's back after whistling him over.

By some twist of fate the village had been spared, and they now found themselves being told they were to head out on the journey... The Journey of Regeneration...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: I think it should be blatantly obvious who the woman is. After I put the Ranch half a day's walk away from the Iselian border it was impossible for Genis to know her by visiting her. So I created a situation that would bring the Desian's to the village and then twisted the scene a bit to have her be saved. As for why there were two Exbelua, you'll find out in the next chapter. :)**


	10. The Journey Begins

**Alaia Skyhawk: Yep, it's MARBLE! If you're wondering about a certain scene later on, don't worry I have it planned out already. He he. I'll bet you're really starting to wonder just how else I'll twist the scenes to come. :)**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 10: The Journey Begins

-

The spring sun shone down, the wind drifting over the plains of grass, the caress of the breeze bending the stalks so that they rippled into the distance like a green ocean. Over this plain walked a rather mixed group of people, a group that had left the Village of Oracles just two days before.

A woman with hair of ebony, leading the way as her deep green reta fluttered in the breeze that also stirred her purple transparent wings.

A woman with hair of grey, riding on the back of a huge green and white canine like creature.

A woman with silver hair, striding through the stems with her vivid orange over robe bright in the sun.

A boy, also silver haired, walking alongside the canine as he talked to the woman riding it.

A boy with rich brown hair and transparent wings of scarlet tucked beneath a white edged azure reta, gazing at the ebon haired woman as she smiled at him and nodded in response to some silent comment.

And lastly a girl with hair the colour of sun brushed gold, clothed in purest white edged in blue. A girl who fair danced through the grass with a smile of joy on her face. This was the beginning of the journey she'd been born to make, the fate of a world resting on her young shoulders, and yet still she took wonder in that world and smiled even as she set out to save it.

It was a time of peace for them, that they knew it would likely end before long only making it more special. They would enjoy it while they could, for as long as they could.

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"Marble, are you feeling better now?"

Marble was the name of the woman Vayla had saved. The man who she'd been unable to save had remained nameless however, for the only person who might have know it was Marble and she'd still been asleep when the group had left the village. The people of Iselia had promised to bury him in the village cemetery, giving him at least an honourable farewell, nameless though he'd remained. As shocking as it had been to have the Desians show up that morning, due to the misguided actions of Genis and Lloyd, the people of the village upon hearing what had happened had sympathised with the youths, and with the Desians having left again without causing harm they had let the matter drop. One individual who refused to let the matter drop though was the mayor. Mayor Vander had railed on at how they should never have let elves into the village and that with Lloyd's actions it was clear the Alurannai were no better. Lloyd would have punched him for that, but Vayla beat him to it by slapping him and saying 'Get your facts straight before opening your mouth, and maybe next time you'll have the sense not to speak so offensively of a race kindred to the Summon Spirits. You should also really learn to respect your elders, for I'm _considerably_ older than you will ever be'. The mayor had stormed off, furious, but none of the villagers had defended him. None of them would considering just what the woman he'd offended was. Things after that had been uneventful as they'd set off, apart from Vayla confiscating all their bags and making them vanish into the device they'd seen her use earlier. A 'ver' she'd called it. A magitechnological device developed by the Alurannai to store a large number of items in a very small container of sorts. Raine had looked entranced by it, but had been thwarted from asking questions about it by Vayla picking up the still unconscious Marble and walking out of the South Gate with everyone else in the group in tow. Here and now, two days later, Marble was fully awake and strong enough to sit astride Noishe who was more than happy to carry her. She was a kind woman, and he could sense her heart was pure and true.

Marble smiled down at the boy beside her unusual steed, reaching over and ruffling his hair which was at just the right height for her to do so.

"Much better now, Genis. Thank you for asking and thank you for all you've done to look after this old woman."

Genis had spent every one of Marble's waking moments of the last two days staying near in case she needed something, cooking recipes that would help her build up her strength and hovering nearby as she ate in case she wanted seconds. Even when she'd been asleep he'd watched over her as long as he'd been awake, something Vayla had told her about that morning when she'd woken up before her little carer. In return she'd started telling him stories as they travelled, watching as the boy's eyes had lit up with each new tale and brought warmth to her heart.

Genis reached up, putting a hand on her arm.

"It's alright, I don't mind. I just want to make sure you get better, that's all."

She smiled, patting the hand that was on her arm.

"You know, you remind me of my granddaughter. Always fussing over this old woman. You're a sweet boy, don't ever lose that. Remember to stay true to yourself no matter what others may think. You're going on a long and arduous journey, and many would lose themselves to it. I don't want to hear in the future that the sweet little boy that was so kind to me stopped being himself. Will you promise me that? To remember to stay true to yourself and not lose your kind nature?"

Genis' face became determined.

"I promise!" Noishe suddenly spun his head round and ducked his shoulders, grabbing him. "Whoa! ...What?"

Genis now found himself somehow behind Marble on the Protozoan's back, said Protozoan chuckling beneath them as he continued to walk. Taking a grip on the cloth of the dress Vayla had provided the old woman with, Genis began to laugh as Marble too began to chuckle with amusement.

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Hands gestured, eyes moved, and facial expressions changed. This was perfectly normal for a pair of people having a conversation, except in this case unless one were a member of the Offspring Races or had a receiver crystal, one would see only two people who looked as though were speaking and yet neither of their lips moved other than to change their expression. The sight had been a bit distracting at first for the rest of the group, bar Noishe, but after a few hours of seeing it they'd gotten used to the idea. After all they'd seen Lloyd having apparently one sided conversations with Noishe for two weeks, so seeing a two sided, yet sort of no sided, conversation didn't seem that strange anymore.

**So **_**that's**_** how you control it... It's weird not being able to sleep, I don't think I like it that much.**

Vayla chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

**Lloyd, there isn't an adolescent or adult alurannai alive that hasn't said the same thing at some point. We like to sleep, all living things do, but going without it does have its advantages though. By turning off the need to sleep, and the need to eat, we can travel over land or fly to a place without having to stop to rest or cook. The same things let us learn complicated lessons without having to interrupt them after a few hours. There are other reasons too that any parent can tell you... When you were born your mother doted on you all through the day, and then watched you sleep all through the night. She did it for weeks before your father finally convinced her that enough was enough and she needed to leave you alone in your room and not hover over you so. She would never have been able to watch over you like that if not for the ability to turn off the need for sleep. I did the same with Alysii... Loving her so much I couldn't bare not to be by her in those first few precious weeks...**

Lloyd looked off to the horizon as Vayla wiped a tear from her cheek. His expression distant.

**Alysii... She's alive... I can feel it.** He put a hand to his chest, as Vayla looked at him startled. **I wasn't sure before, when my memories were just starting to come back, but I felt it then too... She's alive. I'm certain of it... And I get the feeling she's not that far away... In Sylvarant for sure...**

Vayla was wide eyed with hope.

**Could you know because you were born so close together?**

Lloyd's face remained distant.

**Maybe... I vaguely remember picking up what she was feeling from time to time when we were little, even when Ata and Myrta took me to Clear Falls to visit and she was all the way back in Nae Shiu. I can sense what she's feeling now, really faintly. She's mulling over something... something she's determined about but not sure about either. **He frowned, as though trying to find more from that faint trace. He shook his head. **I'm sorry, that's all I can get...**

Vayla reached out and hugged him with one arm, the pain that had haunted her eyes since she'd arrived at the Temple, gone from them.

**Lloyd, what you've given me with those few words is **_**more**_** than enough... Until now I wasn't sure whether or not I was searching for a ghost. But thanks to you I now **_**know**_** she's out there.** She smiled. A smile that truly reached her eyes. **Now since we have the time, let's get you started on some basic theory for Healing Arts. I heard from Genis that you've cast a couple of simple spells already, so I think I should at least get you using first level spells in that area with confidence...**

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The girl laughed, stepping lightly though the waving grass with the wind tugging at her long blond hair. Watching as Collette revelled in this first new horizon she'd ever seen in her sheltered life, Raine mulled over what she had been told just a few weeks before...

'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

It was dark outside, the hour so late that the entire village was asleep... That is, all but those gathered in the tiny side chapel of the village church.

Raine perched on the edge of the front most pew in the chapel, waiting for Phidra to explain why she'd been asked to come here at to strange a time. Under that gaze the priestess paced, until finally she came to stop by the tapestry hung in this room where the altar would be in the larger room next door.

"Last year you agreed to act as the healer among those who are to escort Collette on her journey... We explained a great deal to you about how she must travel to and release the various Seals, of how she will slowly become an angel over the course of doing so... But we did _not_ tell you just what becoming an angel means for a Chosen of Regeneration." Phidra turned to face her, expression grim. "When Collette... no, the Chosen, becomes an angel, the girl she is will cease to exist... That is... Collette Brunel, the girl you have taught the past ten years... will die..."

Raine lurched to her feet, staring at the priestess in shock.

"She'll _die?!_ And you condone that?!"

Phidra rapped her cane on the floor, silencing her.

"Collette knows what will happen, and she has accepted it. We have kept nothing from her. She's known what the journey would end in since she was ten, yet never once has she let it change who she is. She lives every day as if it were her last, because she knows that one day her final day will come... and when it does I know she will have no regrets." Phidra walked towards her, the tap of the cane punctuating every other step. "You think this hasn't been difficult for me? I've known since Aradine was thirteen years old that her child would be sent out to perform the Regeneration Ritual. I had that knowledge when my son Frank was picked to be her husband... When she gave birth to my granddaughter Collette... When I watched her hold that child in her arms for the first time... I _knew_ through it _all_ what was to come to pass..." There were tears in Phidra's eyes now. "I was wracked with guilt over not telling them, living my life like a shadow behind a mask of serenity. It was Dirk who made me realise that by dwelling on what was to come I was missing what was happening in the here and now. Since that day I made sure to live every day with my granddaughter to its full, and so although I will miss her... I will not regret the time we had together, because I know I made every minute of it count. That is why Collette has her motto: Always look on the bright side and smile. She knows her days are numbered, and so she pulls every moment of happiness from each one she still has..."

'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

Raine continued to watch her, as she stopped upon finding a wild flower. Walking over to her, Raine picked it and tucked it into the girl's hair.

"Why don't you see if you can find more of them? When you have enough I'll make them into a garland for your hair. Would you like that?"

Collette beamed at her, blue eyes sparking with happiness.

"I'd really like that. Thank you, Professor!"

The girl skipped off, Raine smiling as she watched the girl as she began hunting for more flowers as they walked.

_Phidra's right, we do have to live each day like it's the last... After all no one knows when their time will come, and many die never having the chance to do all they wanted to when death takes a sudden hand in their life... Collette, in some ways she's blessed by knowing, because it means she has the chance to prepare, and to leave this life with no regrets..._

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They sat around the campfire, watching and laughing as Lloyd took up Vayla's challenge of trying to do a back flip while flying. He knew he still had weeks to go before he mastered flying, and he knew he'd screw this up, but he was going to try anyway because it was fun and it would make everyone laugh.

Spreading his scarlet segmented wings, he created the bubble of mana around himself that he needed to fly. Confident it was stable he kicked off the ground several feet and hovered shakily.

Genis and Collette began to chant.

"Llo-yd! Llo-yd! Llo-yd!"

He frowned with concentration, and then flapped his wings to send himself over and backwards. As he expected he miscalculated it completely... and smacked head first into the nearby long grass as everyone burst out laughing.

Poking his head up out of the grass, Lloyd began to laugh as well.

"Oh well, I'll get it next time."

Settling down next to Vayla, accepting a bowl of soup cooked by Genis, he looked out to the star dusted horizon beyond the fire light... reaching for that faint trace he could feel so far away...

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The figure stopped in their tracks, turning and looking towards the north-west. Brown eyes became distant as they felt the faintest familiar brush in the back of their mind.

A girl's voice whispered.

"I know that... I've felt that before... I..."

She shook her head, the moment of faint recollection gone, back into the fog that blocked out her most distant memories.

_I'm just imagining things..._

The girl began to walk along the rocky track once more... but not before hesitating a moment longer looking back...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Ok, I 'was' going to explain the extra Exbelua in this but it didn't fit. I 'will' explain it soon though in an upcoming chapter.**


	11. House of Salvation

**Alaia Skyhawk: Keep and eye out for short clip scenes here and there. I'll be teasing all the way I'm afraid... It's too much fun and adds to the anticipation of coming chapters. XD**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 11: House of Salvation

-

"Look, everyone! Look!"

Collette stood on the top of the low ridge, pointing at something on the plain ahead. Given the easy terrain Vayla had had them go across country to save time, instead of following the road to the western coast of the Iselia region only to double back on themselves going eastwards again in order to head south. After almost five weeks of steady pace walking it would seem that the road had crossed paths with them again as they could finally see it as a pale line meandering through the grassland to their right.

Reaching the top of the ridge, Vayla stood next to the girl and looked at what she was pointing at. There in the distance they could see a small hamlet, dominated by the tall cylindrical building at one end.

Looking at it, the woman patted Collette on the shoulder.

"That's a House of Salvation, the only one in this region. That hamlet is called Nanlia, and it's the last settlement between us and the Triet Desert. The walk has been easy so far, but once we move on from there things are going to be a lot tougher. The desert isn't the playground of grass that these plains are. It's a harsh place and those that enter it unprepared are as good as dead." She glanced at Raine who had come up beside her. "We should rest there for a day or so before we tackle the route to Triet Oasis. I'd also like to give Marble a day or so of rest at Nanlia settlement, before I call one of the jiisumura to take her through the Sentinels to Nae Shiu where she can get some dedicated medical attention before being moved to a Safe Town."

Raine frowned, puzzled by a number of things the alurannai woman had just said.

"If she's still in need of such care, why didn't you send her before now? And for that matter, what are jiisumura, Sentinels, and these Safe Towns you're talking about?"

Vayla sighed, the rest of the group listening as well as she explained.

"Marble turning into an Exbelua was a result of the exsphere being... tested on her. It didn't have a key crest on it, so it eventually made her body's mana go out of control. My healing spell reversed that, but she still needed time for her mana to resettle before it would be safe to transport her that way." She looked at Marble. "I planned to tell you sooner, but I didn't want to spoil things for Genis by telling everyone I'd be having you leave us so soon. Even if we gave you months to recover, you'd never make it through the desert even riding on Noishe."

Marble, riding as mentioned on Noishe's back, looked down at the sad expression on Genis' face and sighed.

"I expected as much. It's alright, I understand and I also have to agree. I would just be a burden if I remained travelling with you."

Vayla turned back to Raine.

"The Sentinels are what you know as the Tree Lords. The Offspring Races can use them to travel from one place to another in seconds, even if it's to the other side of the world. We can carry a single person through with us once every three days. A limitation which is the reason why I never offered to move the group that way. Even with only six of us, to effectively leave the group split between two distant locations for fifteen days is a risk that far outweighs the benefits... Plus Collette is supposed to journey as part of her trial. I don't think taking shortcuts like that would go down to well." Collette shook her head with a slight smile. "As for jiisumura, they are the Alurannai's 'Watchers', and you will always find at least one near each Sentinel. They keep an eye on the world, taking word of important events back to the Narim when they happen. Lastly, the Safe Towns. For centuries now the jiisumura have also acted as escorts to any escaped Ranch prisoners they come across. Posing as wandering mercenaries with a leaning towards helping people for free if it means getting back at the Desian's in some way, even if it is as minor as getting an escapee to safety. They take those that they find to one of a number of towns the Alurannai set up for such people. We also pose as the 'wandering merchants' that supply those towns with goods those living there cannot make themselves... Just because we hid ourselves all this time, doesn't mean we haven't done our part to help where we can..."

Raine fell silent, before looking at Vayla with the respect that had been slightly reluctant before now.

"Yours are a remarkable people. In some ways you've suffered far more than the rest of us, and yet even in secrecy you selflessly aid others for no reward."

The ebon haired woman smiled.

"Knowing we've made even a small difference is reward enough... Now let's get going. We want to get there before dark don't we? It may be in sight but there are still a few miles to go."

She set off down the far side of the ridge, Collette and the others falling in behind as they headed for the Church Hamlet of Nanlia.

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The Church Hamlet of Nanlia lived up to its name. Inhabited solely by members of the clergy, the gardens that each of them maintained around the cottages, growing most of the food they needed for their daily lives. The welcome the group had received had been tremulous, with Collette immediately offering to lead the evening prayers in the chapel that filled the ground floor of the House of Salvation. Feeling a little out of place in such a gathering, Vayla and Lloyd had gone up the stairs that hugged the inside of the building's curved wall to the rooms they'd been assigned, eventually coming to sit in the communal room that linked the semi-circle of tiny bed chambers on this upper floor.

Alone, Vayla stood in the room's centre as Lloyd watched, turning around marking out the eight compass points with a muttered blessing of sorts for each, starting with the south and going clockwise.

"Shadow, keeper of the inner darkness, show us what lies in the heart so that we may overcome it. Efreet, giver of courage, keep us strong through times of hardship. Gnome, servant of the earth, let the land be kind along our passage. Volt, one who teaches faith and trust, let that which you teach hold us together. Luna and Aska, keepers of truth, let our song sing pure the intentions within. Celsius, maiden of frost, let us see clear like the crystal ice that which we need to make it through. The Sylph, wind's daughters, let us face our doubts and hold true to our purpose. Undine, walker in the mist, let us have the determination to follow this path no matter how difficult."

As soon as she'd finished and sat down after standing for a moment with closed eyes and a bowed head, Lloyd leaned back in his chair and sighed.

"It's been a long time since I've heard that, and I've missed it, even when I couldn't remember. Don't let Raine know you did that up here though, or respect for you or not she'll flip. Blessings like those are blackest heresy to the Church and Raine is at least moderately devout."

Vayla began rummaging though her ver, pulling out and dropping the bags of personal effects for each of the people in the group. Rummaging a little more she then pulled out the two exspheres from back at Iselia along with two key crests and a small bag of crafting tools.

"She's going to have to get used to it, because there's no way I'm going to mutter any 'blessings of Martel' to keep her happy. Martel hated it if people were too in awe of her. She always got stuck in with the hard work to be done, showing everyone that she was just as down to earth as they were. If she could see what's going on now, she'd cry." She tossed one of the key crests along the adjacent table to Lloyd along with the bag of tools. "I know you learnt a lot of crafting skills from Dirk. Do you think you can fix that? Crafting isn't my thing and I only have two key crests with me." She brandished one of the spheres. "We have two 'elves' downstairs that could really benefit from using one of these. I need to finish the charging on the one that came of Marble though. It's incomplete because I took it off her, but it won't take me long to charge it with mana. A few focused blasts of power and Genis can use it." She held up the one that was mottled, the other being clear blue with no marks. "She's really taken to him this past few weeks, and I sure she sees him as being like a grandson. I only think it's right that the exsphere that was partly charged with her mana is the one that helps him on this journey. As for the other," her eyes became shadowed, "I managed to purge that man's consciousness from it, though it was hard work... Upsetting work... Why can't those bastards drop their exspheres into a field of dense mana, rather than use _people_? The method may difficult to set up for large scale use, but they _have_ the level of technology and it's far more humane."

Lloyd leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees and setting his chin on his hands.

"Yggdrasil wants to punish humans for what happened to Martel. Even if he actually knows about the alternate method, I doubt he'd even consider using it..." He picked up the bag on the table, rattling around in it until he found a carving knife and then picking up the key crest. Turning the crest round in his hands a couple of times, he nodded. "Yeah I can fix this. The runes are just a bit worn in places. Give me ten minutes and I'll have it done."

He moved to sit at the table itself, putting the crest on the surface and holding it down with his free hand while in the other he held the knife poised ready to start.

Turning her attention away from him and back to the mottled sphere she held, Vayla focused on pooling pure mana in the outstretched hand that held it.

_So much suffering that man endured... At least he's now finally at peace..._

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Vayla was reading a book when the other four members of the group came up from the chapel an hour later, Lloyd asleep in his room having decided he wanted a couple of extra hours' sac time. She put the book away in her ver, and taking hold of the arms of Collette and Raine, she guided the baffled Chosen and teacher down the stairs after a meaningful nod at Marble.

Understanding what it meant, Marble guided Genis to a pair of chairs facing each other, sitting him down in one while she took the other.

"Looks like it's time for me to say my goodbyes. Vayla told me earlier that there's a Sentinel not far from here, and that it would only take her a few minutes to fly me there. It seems she's decided to do it tonight rather than wait until morning." She cupped the side of the silver haired boy's face with her hand, brushing a thumb on his cheek as tears welled up in his eyes. "Now don't be sad, I'll be going somewhere safe. I'm sure Vayla would bring you to see me once the Journey is over, so this isn't goodbye forever. Once the Desians are sealed away I should be able to go back to my family in Palmacosta. I could introduce you to my daughter and granddaughter then. Would you like that?"

Genis reached up and clutched her hand where it was cradled against his face, his lip trembling.

"Y-yes... I w-would. I'm going to m-miss you... I've n-never had a grandma... and y-you..."

Marble pulled him into a hug and he started sobbing into her shoulder. She stroking his hair and holding him tight as he continued to cry.

"Ah, Genis, you really are like a grandson to me. No matter that we're not related, I'll still think of you as that... We'll meet again, and when we do you can tell me all about the adventures you've had on your journey..."

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Raine looked down at her sleeping brother, noting the tears still damp on his face. Vayla had just left, flying off with Marble into the dark of the night. Seeing her brother now, she was reminded that as much as she tried to be a sister _and_ mother to him, he still yearned to have someone like Marble in his life. She'd used to hope he'd take to Phidra in that way, or Aradine, for both delighted in looking after him when Raine had a lot of work to do or needed to go out on a few days trip to gather herbs for medicines, but neither had been quite right. Marble however, from the moment she'd woken up fully and begun telling them her name and where she was from, Genis had been drawn to her warmth and kindness in a way he'd responded to no other, not even herself. She sincerely hoped they'd get to see her again, for she'd never seen Genis as truly confident in himself as he'd been since Marble had taken him under her wing.

Backing out of his room she headed for the one her bag had been left next to. Having gone inside she was just about to root around for a nightshirt when she found a cloth pouch with a note attached.

"'_I've checked this and it's safe to use, but make sure the key crest stays on it at all times to be sure. I'll give the other to Genis in the morning... Use it wisely... Vayla.'_ What? Key crest?"

She reached into the pouch and pulled out the exsphere within. Staring at it she remembered what the alurannai woman had told her about the properties of these stones. A stone that would amplify her abilities, making her stronger, faster, and improve the power and efficiency of her spells. All things that would be of great benefit to the journey...

Sitting down on her bed she stared at it for several seconds... before her other hand reached into a pocket and pulled out a notebook...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Well I said I'd get the 'extra Exbelua' explained and here it is. That guy is where Raine's exsphere comes from in this fic. If you're wondering why I did it like this, it's because the first Triet Base scene doesn't fit this fic as Yuan isn't trying to capture Lloyd. Also on the scale I've been using for distances, to go there and back between Triet Oasis and the base at the group's general travelling speed is about 3-4 weeks, and that's optimistic without counting how much trekking through sand would slow them down. Do I really want to give them such a huge detour when it's kinda pointless?**


	12. Shifting Sands

**Alaia Skyhawk: Aww that bit with Marble in the last chapter was cute. I couldn't resist it, poor little guy gonna miss the only 'grandma' person he's ever really seen as such.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 12: Shifting Sands

-

"Well there it is... The Triet Desert."

Scrub brush and brittle yellow grass surrounded the five people and the Protozoan as they stood looking southwards. Over the past week the green plains had slowly become drier and drier, streams harder and harder to locate for water. Here on this last ripple in the Iselia Plainlands, what little plant life there was gave way to sand, sand that stretched in great waves as far as the eye could see.

Raine looked at it, concerned.

"How far is it to Triet Oasis from here?"

Vayla, who was pulling long wide lengths of beige cloth out of her ver, paused, muttered to herself as she worked it out.

"It's about four hundred and thirty miles or so. It'll take us about two, to two and a half weeks to get there from here. Don't worry, I have equipment for desert camping and for sheltering from sand storms. We shouldn't have any problems though as since we're south of the equator now this area is heading into late fall. If we're lucky we might even be done in the desert and out of it before it starts to climb back towards summer temperatures. We may even miss the spring storms."

Raine accepted a length of cloth from this still very enigmatic woman.

"How long to you estimate it will take us then, to get to the Seal and then leave the desert?"

Again Vayla paused, murmuring calculations.

"About three and a half months, maybe a little more."

The three youngsters in the group stared, stunned, the implications of how long this journey was going to be just now sinking in.

Raine just sighed.

"Well at least we're here during the cooler weather, and I supposed we should get going then."

She took the length of cloth she was holding and proceeded to wrap it around her head and shoulders until only her eyes showed. The children followed suit, tucking the ends inside the loose robes Vayla had given them, the legs of which were bound around the tops of equally brown boots to keep the sand out. Moments later if someone had looked at them, they would never have known this was the group containing the Chosen of Regeneration.

Not wasting any more time, they set off towards the shifting sands that awaited them.

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"Look it's a lizard! Isn't it cu... Wh-ummph!"

How Collette could trip while walking over a flat area will probably remain one of the world's great mysteries. One moment she was pointing at a tiny reptile skittering away from them towards a nearby scattering of wind scoured rocks, and the next she was sneezing up a face full of sand. She pushed herself up onto her knees, pulling the cloth covering her face down so she could get said sand out of it as Raine started to help her up. Vayla was staring at this girl who had lately been falling over every five minutes, the expression in her eyes one of a person who wanted to curl up and die somewhere from frustration. Noishe had sore feet from the sand and areas of gravel so no one would let him carry her, and Lloyd and Genis had long since given in to resignation that the supposed week or so they had left to finish this part of the trip and reach Triet Oasis, would be doubled by Collette's tripping _over_.

After checking Collette hadn't hurt herself, which true to form her clumsiness hadn't, Raine straightened the girl's head wrapping so that it filtered out the sand on the wind again.

"I honestly don't know how you manage it Collette."

The Chosen looked at the ground, her eyes, the only part of her face visible again, appearing somewhat guilty.

"I'm sorry... I'm slowing everyone down... I'm sorry."

Vayla slapped a hand against her forehead in exasperation, earning a glare from Raine. Seeing it, the alurannai woman pushed all hint of annoyance out of eyes and voice and spoke.

"Perhaps it's simply because you've never walked on sand before. Here, since Noishe can't carry you, let me."

It was a compromise, and Collette knew it. Climbing up on Vayla's back when she came over, the girl stayed silent as she set off with no indication that she even noticed the extra weight. It was about an hour later that that she finally plucked up the courage to say something.

"Vayla, I'm..."

"It's fine, Collette, I shouldn't have got annoyed at you, though in all my long life I've _never_ met someone who trips over as often as you do. It's just part of who you are, and I shouldn't have acted like I did about it... If anyone should be saying sorry, it's me." She turned her head so that she could see Collette, her brown eyes crinkled up from the smile her head wrap concealed. "How about we play a game to make up for it? You point out any animals you spot, and I'll tell you about them." Vayla looked around at the rest of them. How about it then? Spot a new animal and I'll tell you something about it. We're in the perfect area for it, what with the Oasis we've almost gotten to and the abundance of rocky areas in this part of the desert."

The answer was a series of nods and the various people all starting to look around for anything interesting. After not two long Genis pointed out the first.

He pointed to a group of rodent-like creatures the size of large rabbits that scattered into the nearby rocks as soon as the group came into view.

"What were those?"

Vayla chuckled.

"Hyrax. An animal that some say was left behind in the evolutionary race. They still have many of the early characteristics of early mammals and so to regulate their temperature they huddle together in groups at night to stay warm and also bask in the sun like reptiles to warm up when they're cold. They live in small groups like the one we just saw, with a single male leading a harem of several females."

Raine spotted a ripple of movement in the sand to their left in the shadow of a rock, two little horn-like ridges sticking up above a pair of barely visible reptilian eyes.

"That's a Sand Viper, isn't it?"

Vayla nodded as Collette peered curiously over her shoulder.

"Yes, they're usually nocturnal but some species that have evolved in this northern region of Triet hunt during the day as well. That's only a small one, you can tell by the width of the head even though the body is buried. I'd say it's about half a metre long... There are records of some in the southern reaches of the desert that are almost eight metres long. They're generally placid, only striking when provoked, and when threatened they rub their coils over each other to make a loud rasping noise to warn potential predators away."

Lloyd stopped and glanced at the still visible head as the rest of the group continued on.

"Eight metres... Not sure I'd want to cross paths with one _that_ big. Placid or not." He was just about to jog to catch up again when he saw something sleeping under a nearby patch of scrub in the lea of a rock. "Vayla... Look at that!"

She turned to see a trio of white deer-like creatures with long straight spiralled horns continuing to sleep unawares under the bush. When she spoke her tone showed she was smiling.

"Addax, they're really rare. So much so that if a traveller in a caravan kills one, even by accident, superstitious fellows will dump them for fear of them carrying a curse from the creature's death. To see them sleeping is a great honour, for it is said that they can sense the intentions of those around them. If one is true and loyal, worthy of complete trust, they will sleep on knowing themselves to be safe in your presence." She started to walk away. "Let's move on, so we don't disturb them."

It was just a little while later that a thunder of small hooves came from behind them, the trio of Addax they're seen earlier racing in the direction of the oasis in terror. As the barely more than a metre high antelope dashed past them with a whinny of warning, the group heard just what had upset them crawling through the settling dust their passage had stirred up.

Vayla took one look at it and dropped Collette, pulling her glaive out of her ver and holding it ready as the rattling and faint scraping continued.

Collette peered around Vayla's legs from where she'd landed on the ground.

"What's..."

Vayla tensed as the threat became visible within the veil of dust.

"Deathstalkers... Five of them... Draw your weapons!"

They all did as they were told as the first creature lunged for Vayla who put herself between the group and them, its stinger whipping towards her body only to be batted aside by the shaft of the glaive. It was a gigantic red-brown scorpion, standing at almost two foot tall and eight foot long from head to stinger, its five foot tail arched up and over so that it was level with the woman's neck. Just as she'd said, four more came into view, stingers raised and razor edged pincers reaching for the group threateningly.

Vayla thumped the Deathstalker that had attacked her in the face with the butt of her glaive, shoving it back to tangle with those coming behind. She shouted something in Sumaityr, and in response Noishe instantly responded with an ice spell much to the shock of two half elves and a still grounded girl.

As a vortex of ice chunk laden wind drew a chorus of shrieks from the Deathstalkers, Genis pulled his kendama off his belt and started to cast, recovering quickly from the shock of learning something _else_ they didn't know about Noishe before now, figuring he might as well get used to it or he'd probably be surprised by something near every day. Focusing his will, he didn't notice the exsphere he now wore on his right hand now shimmering. Pulling mana to him, he called up ice in the only ice spell he knew.

"ICICL..._What the...?!_"

Genis stood rigid as the size of the spell circle around him doubled, and a cyclone of ice laden wind just like the one Noishe had called up surrounded the Deathstalkers. As soon as the spell ended, he wavered on his feet from the drain on his mana.

As he drooped to his knees, Raine rushed over to him, while Vayla and Lloyd used their weighted weapons to cut the now semi-frozen Deathstalkers to shreds.

"Genis... Genis are you alright?"

She was worried. Above the covering of cloth over his lower face his blue eyes were glazed.

Vayla, having used fire to sear the inevitable ooze of her glaive before putting it away, came over and knelt down beside the two siblings and took a closer look at the younger.

"He's just worn himself out. That was Ice Tornado he cast just there, not the Icicle spell he was trying for." She patted the still dazed boy lightly on the shoulder. "Congratulations, Genis, you just cast your first level two spell." She got up and looked down at Raine. "He only called up the mana for the level one spell he was trying to cast, so the rest of it for the level two one had to come from him. On the plus side though the drain from learning it will actually cause an _increase_ his reserves. He'll be fine after a good night's rest..." She glanced over her shoulder. "Lloyd, you carry Genis. He's in no condition to walk on his own right now."

The young Nartu sheathed his swords and came over.

"Sure."

Picking up his best friend as though he were no lighter than a feather, Lloyd carried him in his arms and set off once more for the approaching oasis as Noishe, Raine, and Vayla who was once again carrying Collette, followed along behind him.

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The light of the campfire reached out into the darkness of the night, barely reaching the scattering of palm trees and smaller shrubs that clung to the banks of the spring fed pool that lay under an overhanging rock nearby. Collette was asleep, as were Raine and Noishe, when the young silver haired mage finally began to stir.

Genis lifted his head and sat up rubbing away a few grains of sand that had gathered at the corners of his eyes.

"...What happened with the Deathstalkers? I remember my spell going weird and after that everything's kinda blurry."

Vayla, who was the night watch as she'd been every other night since the journey began, got up and brought over a bowl of something she'd had ready for when he woke up. Passing it to him, she sat down beside him.

"You cast a level two spell but only gathered a level one amount of mana. The rest came from you and left you exhausted afterwards." She pointed to the exsphere on his hand. "Remember what I told you about that. It amplifies the user's abilities, though it's more accurate to say that it brings a person's inner potential to the surface. Your mind is already capable of level two spells, but your body wasn't, so when you cast today for the first time wearing the exsphere it made your body strong enough to handle it, and so the level two spell came rather than the one you were trying for... You're very talented for your age, Genis, and I you should know that anything you can do with the exsphere on, it's something that if you trained enough you could do without it. I suppose an exsphere is sort of a short cut, giving you what you would have if you trained for years and years more than you already have. That's why the effect of exspheres varies so much from user to user. Someone with only minor spell casting potential won't become able to use high level spells just because they wear one, because they don't have the inner potential for the exsphere to bring out. That's why yours will never make you as fast or strong physically as your sister's will make her, because you're more attuned to casting rather than wielding an actual weapon like she is with her staff."

Genis sighed in disappointment.

"So I'll always be weaker than everyone else, and never be able to react as fast. I'm just going to get in everyone's way aren't I? Even _with_ this thing..."

Vayla ruffled his hair and smiled.

"Of course not. You may not have the _physical _reflexes, but you're magical ones are razor sharp. Why back at the Martel Temple fighting those spiders you had a new spell on the go within a fraction of a second after the previous one finished. That's takes sharp reflexes of the _mind_. What you may lack in one area, you excel at in another. You were born to be a Mage, Genis, not a warrior. A master of magic and its intricacies, but never one to wield a blade. There's nothing in that to be ashamed of or disappointed in. You'll do just fine, and I'm sure that before this journey is over you'll have proved yourself time and again to be an _asset_ to the group, not a burden." She got up. "Now get that stew eaten, you need to eat after exhausting yourself today." She started to walk back to where she'd been sitting before, but paused. "Oh and Genis, a tip. Always gather more mana that you actually need before you cast a spell, that way you won't drain yourself too much when you 'learn' a spell the next level up from the one you're using. Don't gather too much though, or your mana reserves won't increase and you'll find it difficult to cast higher level spells in areas where the mana is thinner. You'll need those reserves to compensate."

Watching as she sat down by the fire again, Genis smiled, reassured.

"Thanks, Vayla."

Saying nothing more, he ate his food and then curled up again and went back to sleep.

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**Alaia Skyhawk: A semi-educational chapter that one lol. Hyrax, Sand Vipers, Addax, and Deathstalkers are all things you can find in the Sahara Desert, though some of the info I tweaked. Sand Vipers only grow to 50cm or so, and Deathstalker scorpions are actually straw yellow in colour and 3.5-4.5 inches long... not eight foot. Things that are not tweaked. Hyrax's do live in groups like Vayla said, and Addax are actually an extremely endangered species in the wild and live in herds of 2-20. I was a little stuck for adding interest to the travelling scenes for the desert, since there's not much for the group to look at, so I thought I'd do something a little different by referencing animals that do exist in similar environments to what the group were travelling through. :)**


	13. Desert City

**Alaia Skyhawk: There are a couple of surprise meetings coming in this one. :)**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 13: Desert City

-

The groan of camels, the bleating of goats, and the incessant lowing of cattle filled the air over the ever continuous hawking of the market stall owners. The main street of the city was packed, as it seemed the group had had the bad luck to arrive at Triet Oasis on a market day. Every nomadic group within fifty miles of the oasis was here to trade something or other, and the result was that they'd be lucky to find a place to stay tonight... or in the next few days for that matter as the mass of trading nomads slowly filtered out of the city again.

Standing at the entrance of one of the city's stables, Vayla looked over the masses with an experienced eye, murmuring her observations to the others who had just gotten Noishe settled in a stall after having had to _convince_ the stable owner that the Protozoan did _not_ constitute a reason to charge more than the price per day stated on the signage on the wall of said stables. Another reason for such being that since he wouldn't have to provide food for Noishe, since Arshis didn't eat grain, he was getting more by way of profit on the rent anyway. The group themselves would bring the protozoan food for as long as they were in Triet Oasis.

"It's not that noticeable, but there's tension among the people. Something must be up either in the city or nearby. I know we'd originally planned to walk openly though the city so that the people would know the Chosen of Regeneration was among them, but now I'd have to say it's too risky. We going to have to stay dressed like this and only reveal who we are once we find a decent inn, preferably near one of the city's churches since the thought of the priest's reactions to them not providing rooms for the Chosen and her escort will be enough for them to be willing to face the anger of an evicted guest if they have to make space for us." She heard Collette take a breath to object to that idea, but cut her off. "Collette, we _have_ to stay in an inn. The streets of this city are a dangerous place at night, and if people heard the Chosen of Regeneration spent the night in a doorway it would cause an uproar." She upped the volume of her voice to carry to the Protozoan in his stall at the back of the stables, it also reaching the stable owner as well. "If this guy gives you any hassle, Noishe, feel free to throw a few spells at him."

The stable owner flinched, and Noishe just smirked, as Vayla led the two silver haired siblings, the Chosen, and her best friend's son out of his establishment and down the bustling street. The further they got the harder it became to stay together, and eventually Raine had taken a firm hold on Collette's wrist and Lloyd had started giving Genis a piggyback to make sure neither of them got separated in the crowds. The smells of spices, unwashed bodies, and sour wine surrounded them, compounded with the scent of cooked goat hanging on the stagnant air. For five people who had spent the better part of nine weeks in the fresh air of the wilds, bar the two nights at Nanlia, the smell was a revolting welcome back to 'civilisation'.

Collette gagged, pressing a wad of her head wrap to her mouth and nose in an effort to block it out. Genis was doing the same, and Raine looked as though she wanted to find the nearest bucket. Lloyd was managing to stand it better, just as well since he couldn't cover his mouth and nose due to carrying Genis. Vayla wasn't fazed in the least, she'd smelt much worse in her long life. It took almost an hour before Vayla suddenly stopped in her tracks, taking them down a side street to where a grinning individual waited for them.

The blond haired, green eyed woman waiting there grinned at her.

"Well there you are, Vayla. I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost, though you seemed alright when I over flew you four nights ago. I realised you'd get here after the market started, so I took the liberty of hiring two rooms in what's probably the safest inn in this dust trap of a city to keep them open for you. It's not that far from a church, and it's a place a few friends of ours vouch for."

Vayla broke into a grin, before throwing herself at the woman and enveloping her in a hug as she laughed and everyone but Lloyd looked at the scene completely baffled. Sighing as the two women began chattering in Sumaityr, he explained.

"That's Tasha, one of Vayla's crèche mates. She's a jiisumura, and from what stories I heard when I was little she likes to show up when least expected."

Collette, Genis, and Raine's faces all registered understanding, but seconds later they quickly became expressions of chagrin as Lloyd was enveloped in a hug from Tasha.

"Lloyd! Oh we were so worried when you went missing for all those months... and then we've had to stay away from you for thirteen years! Oh I've missed you!"

It was just as well Lloyd had gotten the hang of being able to turn his abilities on and off, because if he'd needed air in that moment, he'd have been suffocating. When she finally released him he took a deep breath and managed to give her a decent smile.

"It's good to see you too, Tasha. So, where's this inn?"

Reminded of why she was here, Tasha spun round and darted down the street without any warning.

"This way."

As the group took off after her Vayla heard a rather bemused school teacher murmur.

"Do you people act like this often?"

Vayla chuckled.

"Only among family or extended family... You get used to it..."

------------------------------------------------------

The inn was a squat, flat roofed, square building, just like almost every other in this desert city. Built of mud brick, rendered over with more of the same, it like the many others almost seemed as if it might have grown from the land rather than been built upon it. True to Tasha's word it was just along the street from the highly visible, sand battered spire of a church. It was also very close to a well, meaning it wasn't likely that they'd have to wait in a queue to get water in the morning unlike if the well were further away. The inside was neat, well swept, and presided over by a very pleasant young woman who immediately welcomed them to her humble establishment. Humble it was, but the woman's pride in maintaining a well run and properly looked after inn showed in the carefully made beds and simple yet well made furnishings. Even better was her reaction when finding out that three of her guests were in fact alurannai. She didn't so much as bat an eyelid, instead asking if they had any particular preferences for their rooms or any particular needs.

"I get all sorts in my inn. I'm probably the only one in town that will accept anyone, even half-elves. I've got six of them staying here now that are regulars of mine," she glanced at them, "and I won't hear any grumbling about it. They paid for rooms just like anyone else, and in my experience they're far better behaved than many of my fellow humans have been. Not once have I ever had to kick a half-elf out for unacceptable behaviour, but a great many humans I can tell you, I have."

No one objected, and in fact for two certain siblings meeting this woman was an eye opener. A human who openly accepted half-elves and treated them just like any other, and who wasn't afraid to make her opinions known.

Seeing their expressions, and understanding why since she could sense what they were, Tasha patted Raine on the shoulder and whispered so that Collette wouldn't hear.

"You'll find, when it comes down to it, most people don't mind half-elves. It's just a small and mouthy minority who the rest end up following along with, that's sets things off. It was the same thing with the Ancient War. The fight started over something stupid, and as time went by the people saw the war as pointless, but never spoke up about it. They just went along with it as their leaders kept fighting out of sheer cussed pride. The people didn't care who would 'win', they didn't care at all. They just wanted to get on with their lives but their leaders kept dragging them back into it."

It was Vayla's turn to whisper now.

"Even when roused to anger, most people can be talked into realising that while all Desian's are half-elves, in truth only a small percentage of half-elves are Desians. The Alurannai have safe towns for half-elves just like we have safe towns for escaped Ranch prisoners. The Desian's only actually number about eight thousand, but the half-elven population in Sylvarant is well over forty thousand. We have ten towns that are entirely inhabited by half-elves along with a few humans. We watch over them, give them somewhere safe so that they don't get driven into the Desian's ranks. We can't save them all though, not without risking retaliation from the Desians, and a war with them would threaten the life of the world. However we always do what we can."

They headed up the stairs as the three youngest members of the group sat around the table as the inn keeper decided to spoil them a bit with some little cakes she'd baked that morning. Sighing, Raine shook her head with wonder.

"I had no idea there were so many of us... Maybe there's hope for us after all. Hope that one day we won't have to hide."

Tasha patted her on the shoulder again.

"There's always hope, Raine. As long you have faith, there's _always_ hope."

-----------------------------------------------------

"Aww, isn't the little puppy cute?"

Collette was playing with the inn keeper's pet, a little creature just eleven inches tall from the floor to the top of its head, with an additional six inches of upward pointing ears on top of that. Honestly, how Collette could think it was a dog with ears that huge, Lloyd and Genis just didn't know. A short conversation with Sandra, the inn keeper, had revealed that it was actually a fennec, a type of desert fox that ate insects and some vegetation, using those humongous ears to hunt the little creatures in the dark of night by sound alone. Those ears were so sensitive that they could pick up the sound of a beetle walking on sand, a trait that Collette was having fun with by rolling one by one the handful of tiny ball of leftover pastry Sandra had given her. She would roll them into the shadows under one of the benches against the wall, the little fennec chasing after it and tracking it once it went out of sight in the darkness. As soon as it found one it would creep out again, that sixteen inch long bundle of sandy fur with ten inches of fluffy tail behind it, every fibre waiting for the next ball of pastry to be rolled.

Watching as the sand coloured fox darted after another ball, Genis swallowed the last bite of the sandwich he'd been eating and tapped Lloyd on the arm to get his attention.

"Shouldn't we go take something to Noishe? It's getting late, and the stable master will be locking up soon."

Swallowing the last bit of his own meal, Lloyd got up and stretched out his arms with a yawn.

"Yeah. One sec, I'll ask Vayla if we can go." He glanced upwards, as if looking through the ceiling to the second floor. **Vayla, is it alright if Genis and I go take Noishe something to eat? It's getting late and he'll be hungry.**

The answer came back immediately.

**That's fine, just remember to take your swords and keep your wings and sarren **_**covered**_**. Don't draw attention to yourselves. Ask Sandra if she has anything of what Noishe likes, let her know I'll pay for it.**

**Ok. We'll be back before it gets dark.**

Genis was looking up at him.

"Well?"

Lloyd smiled.

"Vayla said we can go. We're to get food off Sandra and let her know Vayla will pay for it."

Genis grinned.

"Ok then, let's go. I just hope that smell from earlier has died down a bit..."

--------------------------------------------------------

The streets were considerably clearer now, with the various extra stalls that lined the main street once every two months being packed away and taken back to whatever warehouse they were hired from for the day. They'd made it to the stables with no problems and Noishe was currently scarfing down the food they'd brought, while nearby the stable master shuffled on his feet by the door waiting for Lloyd and Genis to leave so he could lock up for the night.

Realising they were keeping the man waiting, and that they needed to get moving anyway to be back at the inn before dark, Lloyd sighed and gave Noishe's ears a farewell scratch.

"See ya tomorrow, Noishe. We'd better get going."

Noishe didn't say anything, but he wagged his tail a couple of times as though giving the two boys a wave.

Lloyd and Genis left, the stable master locking the double doors and heading off down a side street towards where his home must be. Standing there in the street as the first hint of sunset coloured the sky, all seemed completely peaceful until a number of people just a few yards away from them suddenly stopped and stared with definite fear at something that had just come through the entrance through the city walls. They turned, and slowly began to back up, wide eyed, when they saw the full squad of about fifteen Desians walking up the street. Heartily thanking that they'd kept their beige travel clothes on, along with having donned the head wraps to cover both Genis' distinctive silver hair and Lloyd's sarren, they backed towards the side of the street as those further up were doing, keeping their faces averted so as not to draw attention. It was unfortunate however that the very things Vayla had told Lloyd to take, were what caught the Desian's attention.

One of them pointed at him, at the twin swords he was wearing. They may have been his plain starter swords, but there was no denying their quality even just from seeing the sheaths and hilts. Only someone not of Triet would have blades as good as those. The Desians generally left the citizens of Triet alone, in return for not having to fight their way through the city to use the oasis, but foreign travellers were fair game. The one who pointed called out.

"Hey, you! You with the twin blades!"

Lloyd began to curse under his breath, taking Genis by the arm and inching them both towards a nearby side street as he whispered.

"Just back away slowly... Don't provoke them... Man I am so going to strangle Vayla when we get back... 'Take your swords and keep your wings and sarren _covered_. Don't draw attention to yourselves.' It's the bloody swords that are _drawing_ the attention!"

The Desian, not getting the response he was looking for, strode over.

"Hey, I'm speaking to you!"

Above the cloth covering most of his face, Lloyd very briefly met the Desian man's gaze before looking away as if afraid.

"We're not looking for trouble. I simply want to get my friend's little brother back to the inn where we're staying."

The Desian sneered.

"So you _are_ foreign to Triet. To arms men, get them!"

"Oh crap... Let's get out of here, Genis!"

Lloyd picked Genis up and tucked him under his right arm before sprinting off down the side street they'd been trying to get to, the Desian's in hot pursuit. The locals did nothing, if they stepped in it might make the Desian's attack the city next time they came rather than just walk through to get water. With no help in sight, Lloyd, Genis still under his arm, zigzagged through the back alleys in the hope of somehow losing their pursuers. It was another turn of bad luck that it would seem these Desian's knew the city well, for in a matter of minutes some had circled round and nearly succeed in cutting them off as Lloyd made a wild leap over them. It was as he ran past the remains of a partially collapsed house that hands snatched both of them into the wreckage and covered their mouths to silence them. About to struggle, a woman's hissed command made them fall still.

"_Be quiet. This house is a clear dead end, they'll never think you went in here... And if they do suspect and come in, they're dead._"

The two boys stayed quiet, as true to the assurances the sounds of the pursuit faded into the distance. As soon as it was clear, the hands holding them let go and they were able to turn and see who had saved them.

Three half-elves in plain clothes grinned at them, the foremost being a woman with blond hair and mischievous blue eyes.

Lloyd gaped in recognition.

"Tia?!" He looked around at the other two, the names and faces he'd learned when his father had taken him to meet them rising to the surface of his recollections. "Tyr! Henre!" He broke into a wide grin. "Where are the others?"

Tia laughed.

"You have your father's eyes, Lloyd. Even with only _those_ visible I recognised it was you running from those bastards. We split up into three groups and each took one of the routes we figured those Desians would send you running down. I don't care if there were fifteen, we were trained by your father. Even five to one those dunces wouldn't have stood a chance in a fight against us."

Genis was extremely confused.

"Lloyd, you know these guys? And they know your father? But they're half-elves like..."

Genis stopped, but Tia finished.

"Like you... We're from a larger group of people that oppose the Desians, discretely. The Alurannai help us with food and medicines, though only a handful of us know about it. We three are part of a strike team called the Steady Nine, and we work directly for Lloyd's father. As some of us are half-elves we can get in with people that only a half-elf could. Alurannai can pass for humans, but they can't pass for the likes of us. Naturally that means a few of us are needed to help them out in certain instances to gather information on the activity of the Desians." She held a hand out to the silver haired boy who shook it numbly. "I'm Tia, and as Lloyd pointed out, these two are Tyr and Henre... and if my ears serve me that's the other six just coming around the corner now." Sure enough the rest of the Steady Nine peered in through the broken wall and then entered. Tia began to point them out. "The other three half-elves are Silas, Yaral, and Firatai. The three humans in our group are David, Galen, and Yu. Hey guys, here's a face we haven't seen since he was two."

Lloyd was immediately mobbed by back patting and hair ruffling, chuckling under the assault. As it finally died down he pulled his dislodged head wrap back up and sighed.

"It's been great seeing you guys again, but it's almost dark and I told Vayla we'd be back at the inn by then."

Tia and the rest of them looked around at each other smiling.

"Not a problem, because you're going to have to put up with us for the rest of the time you're staying at that inn. We're the ones who recommended it to Tasha, and we're the ones renting the other three rooms."

Once again it was Genis' turn to look surprised as he stared at the six half-elves among the group of nine.

"_You_ guys are the six half-elves Sandra said are staying at the inn?"

Tyr slung an arm around the boy's shoulder, guiding him out of the ruined building as the rest followed.

"Yup, that's us. I think tonight is going to be fun."

---------------------------------------------------

When the group of eleven came in the front door of the inn, Sandra welcoming her guests and letting them know she'd changed the bedding in their rooms and that they were ready again, Vayla took one look at the nine smirks and clouted the laughing Tasha standing next to her.

"You _sneaky little!_ Oh I'll get you back for that, mark my words!" A side glance and she caught the confused expressions on Collette and Raine's faces. "May I introduce nine more of my friends, all of which right now I'm extremely tempted to throttle."

Lloyd gave Vayla a long look.

"Speaking of throttling, I did what you told me to and took my swords when we went to feed Noishe and covered up, and it was the _swords_ that made a group of visiting Desian's realise were weren't local and they chased us across what was probably _half the city!_"

As Lloyd continued to glare at his father's crèche mate, Tia took up the explanation.

"I recognised Lloyd by him having his father's eyes. We split up and waited at the most likely places these two would be chased and pulled them out of sight when they passed to get the Desian's off their tails. You owe us Vayla, and if you're nice we won't tell Kratos that you screwed up a little."

It was Vayla who now began to glare as she strode over to Tia.

"Hey now, it's not my fault! I didn't know those Desians were about to waltz into the city did I and... Wait... Are you teasing me?" Tia was giggling, trying to cover a smile as the rest of the Steady Nine were also failing miserably at doing. Vayla sighed and rolled her eyes. "I give up... Spirits save me from my crèche mate's little helpers..."

After that things became something of a party, with the inn's rooms all taken up by the Regeneration Group and the Steady Nine, Sandra was more than happy to cook more cakes and with Genis' help make quite a spread of finger food. As jovial as this gathering was though, all who knew the truth made sure that no mention was made of Cruxis, the Renegades, or anything Raine, Genis, and Collette had no idea about and were supposed to remain oblivious about. The generalised explanation Tia had given Genis _was_ told however, and the 'need to know' excuse passed out as reason not to be more specific. Raine had remained rather dubious, but even she eventually relaxed as Yaral had Sandra's pet fennec dancing on its hind legs in circles for a treat, laughing with the rest of them. Firatai entertained them with some illusions, making miniature dragons, birds, and butterflies flutter around the inn's common room After this Galen, David, and Yu began singing some hilarious traveller's songs, but stopped just after starting on the not so polite bar songs after Raine gave them a warning glance and lifted her staff up from beside her with clear meaning. Tia got into a series of repeated rounds of doing cat's cradle with Collette, tangling the string every time she tried it and watching in bemusement as the girl ended up with a perfect one every time. Later as the plates were cleared away and washed, David offered to help Sandra carry them, or rather tried, getting tongue tied as comrades chuckled and nudged each other knowingly since it was obvious he had a crush on her. Sandra smiled back, handed him the plates, and even though he'd not actually gotten the words out she thanked him for offering to help... It was obvious she liked him too.

It was thus very late when everyone went to their rooms. The Nine going three to a room, guys, guys, and girls. Tasha roomed with the three girls from the Nine. Vayla, Raine, and Collette were in another room, and Lloyd and Genis in the last. The inn fell silent, but eventually one boy who couldn't sleep left his room and climbed the stairs that led up to the roof.

Standing there under the stars, Lloyd sighed.

_You never did get to take me star gazing in the mountains, Ata. Take me to a place where the whole sky could be seen and not a small part of it... Well I can see a lot of it here, but it's not the same without you here to tell me stories about them..._

"I know you miss him, Lloyd, but trust that he _is_ going to come back to you." Lloyd looked round to see Vayla as she came up onto the roof, walking over to stand beside him. "He and I switched roles in the Plan. It was originally going to be him escorting Collette, but knowing he'd have to hide around Iselia for two months before the Oracle, without you seeing him at all... It was too much to ask of him. He's in Tethe'alla right now, waiting at the Ice Temple for Collette to release the first seal. Once she does he'll work as fast as he can to get all of the backup anchors installed over in Tethe'alla, and then head over here to do the same, following along behind us... As things stand, you're not likely to see him until the Ritual is almost done, unless something causes him to change the plans a little."

Lloyd looked up at the sky once more.

"How ever long it takes, I'll wait..."

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Well a few old faces coming back to visit... No they're not staying. Tasha and the Steady Nine won't be going with them when they leave for the Seal of Fire. Well I did two twists on scenes in this one. The Desian bit, to intro the Nine, and the scene beneath the stars, but with Vayla, not Kratos, and no near beheading. On a final note, the Sandra's pet is an actual animal, and yes some people have them as pets. But before anyone thinks about wanting one because of reading this, take note. Fennecs are a wild breed, thus are high energy pets and very active, near impossible to house train, and if you let them in an outside pen it must be dig proof as fennecs can tunnel up 20ft in a night. Basically not something to get just because its cute, it's an animal that needs a LOT of care.**


	14. Road to the First Seal

**Alaia Skyhawk: Off they go to the Seal of Fire!**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 14: Road to the First Seal

-

The walls of the city of Triet Oasis faded into the dust veiled distance behind them, but the memories they'd made there remained strong in their minds. Three days of rest in the city, three days of stories and laughter as Tasha, Tia, and Vayla's other friends had talked about family and the places around Sylvarant they'd been. By the end of it any misgivings Raine had had about the obvious secrets that Tasha and the other newcomers were keeping was set aside. All people had secrets, and there were always reasons for it, and she could see that all ten of these new people were honest and trustworthy, so their reasons must be also.

Here, walking at the front of the group as Lloyd, Collette, and Genis chattered behind with Noishe in tow at the rear, Raine glanced sidelong at this representative of the Alurannai that was helping them... For the first time in many years, opening up at least a little to another.

"I've had so few people that I could trust, for so long, that I guess I'd forgotten what it was like to have so many friends. In the elven village where I grew up I was middle in age among a group of about ten children. I never lacked for friends or support. It didn't matter that I was a half-elf, no one in the village cared, but then something happened and my parents had to flee with me and Genis, who was only just a newborn at the time. Since we were separated from our parents I've found it hard to trust people. I suppose that's why I've remained so isolated all these years, even though my brother was willing to be open to new faces and people, and so made friends with most of the village children, though Lloyd and Collette have always been his best friends by far. I've had people I trust as acquaintances, like Phidra, Frank, and Aradine, but never any close friends. After seeing you so happy and relaxed with Tasha and the others, I realise now just how much I missed it."

Vayla put her hand on Raine's shoulder for a moment before lowering it again and looking at her, her eyes clearly showing she understood.

"You've obviously faced a lot of hurt and betrayal in your past, that you've realised though how closed off you've been, means you're starting to feel as if you _can_ start trusting again... I'll be a friend, if you want me to." Vayla smiled at Raine's surprise. "I'm not just here because I was ordered to, but because I _volunteered_. I used to travel around like this, a long time ago. I was pretending to be human, disguising what I was from the outside world, but even before those I was travelling with found out what I was, I came to trust them and care about them as deeply as if they were family, and they felt the same about me. Learning what I was didn't change anything for them, because they already knew me. Still though, it was a big lesson about trust I learned that day... That if you give trust wholeheartedly, you will in turn receive it... I trust you Raine, and although there are things I can't tell you, the same as like how I hid what I was from my friends back then, that doesn't make my belief in you any weaker. I know you still have doubts about me at times, and I know you're still struggling with your past, but know this. Even though right now you don't completely trust me, I will continue to trust you no matter how long it takes you to feel I've earned the same." She smiled again, and then slowed so she could talk to the quartet behind. "I'll leave you to think."

Watching as Vayla began chatting to the three youths, Raine felt as if something inside her had shifted, as if something had fallen away. Turning her head to look at the dunes before them on this trek south-west to the Seal, a small smile showed on her face.

_I don't think you'll have to wait, Vayla... my friend... Because I trust you already. You who have selflessly shown me support and understanding during these past weeks even though I never asked for it... I think... I think because of you _will_ learn to trust people the people around me more. Yes, I could get hurt, my trust betrayed, but you've shown me the difference between my dark life of little trust and no friends, and the life where trust is given freely... You've shown me a life filled with happiness shared among others... A life I'd started to believe I would never have the chance to have..._

Raine looked back at them again and whispered.

"...Thank you..."

A moment later she saw Vayla glance at her, a faint smile in her eyes, and knew she had heard it. For the first time in ten years... she had a friend.

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About seven bolts of lightning thudded down one after another across the sand, leaving blobs of molten glass where they'd struck. Picking one up, the heat not bothering him in the slightest, Lloyd idly began twisting the result of his spells like clay in his bare hands as the sun began to set over the dunes in the distance.

"Have you noticed how much happier Raine's been this last week? I swear on the way to Triet Oasis she tucked herself off to one side with her notebook as soon as we stopped for the night and barely said a word before it was time to go to sleep. Since we _left_ Triet Oasis she's still worked on her notebook each night, but puts it away after a while and actually _talks_..."

Charging up a spell of his own, Genis focused on a sand battered stick they'd found and pushed into the sand as a target, a halo of extra collected mana making the air around him ripple.

"She trusts Vayla now, that's why she's more open." He released his spell. "LIGHTNI... YES ANOTHER ONE!" His spell circle doubled in size, and a blade-shaped bolt of lightning struck the stick with smaller bolts spraying out from it. The halo of extra mana gone, absorbed into the level two spell. He grinned. "Thunder Blade! How many is that now?"

Lloyd looked up from the now dragon shaped piece of cooling glass in his grip, chuckling.

"You've 'learnt' all the technical type level two spells for the six elements you know. Ice Tornado, Eruption, Spread, Stalagmite, Air Thrust, and now Thunder blade... Unless you learn another element or widen your perceptions enough to use strike type spells as well, that's it until you learn enough and get strong enough to cast level threes."

Genis looked at the few tiny charred fragments that were all that was left of the stick.

"Aww and I was enjoying practicing until I got those new spells..." He sighed. "Well, anyway, about Raine. I noticed a long time ago how she finds it hard to trust people. Something must have made her change the way she sees Vayla, and make her trust her." He paused. "Come to think of it I've seen her laughing at Vayla's jokes as we walk during the day. I think they might actually be friends..." He smiled. "I'm glad. Sis hasn't had a 'friend' friend for as long as I can remember. Maybe never while we've been living in Iselia."

His dragon done, Lloyd saw his other blobs of glass were too hard to mould now and sent another string of lightning bolts down to melt them again after cooling his dragon until it was cold and putting it in the ver Vayla had given him along with a note from his father. It turned out that Alurannai children were given vers as soon as their parents, or in this case acting guardian, felt they had enough control over their ability to generate mana to maintain one without it having to draw on that in the surrounding area. Starting another sculpture, Lloyd picked up three blobs this time and combined them to make a larger one.

"Well, whatever the reason, it's nice not to feel like you have to walk around her on eggshells." Genis was frowning, looking at the remaining blobs of glass with an expression of puzzlement. "What?"

Genis turned his gaze away from the glass and up to Lloyd's face.

"I don't get it. You can only cast level one spells at the moment, but you can cast them instantly. It's like when Vayla called up that wind to move the blocks in the Martel Temple. I didn't feel her draw on the mana around her at all for the small stuff, and although I felt you do that when you first started learning, I don't feel you do it anymore either..."

Lloyd's eyes lit up with understanding as he stopped what he was doing and looked up at his friend.

"Ah... that. Remember when Dalli taught me how to compensate for the low mana levels so I could fly?" Genis nodded. "The 'bubble' I make is made up of mana I generate myself. Alurannai can all make a moderate amount of mana, it's an ability we were given by the Giant Tree when it created us, so that we could live and protect it but not have to draw on the mana of the world to survive. I remember my ata telling my myrta about it. The Alurannai are actually 'mana neutral', I think he called it. That is every spell used to grow food fast, heal, cook, do little chores, and all the other everyday stuff, we don't use mana from the world around us. Once we reach adolescence we don't even absorb mana from the air anymore to sustain us like all the other living things in the world do. So when I cast level one spells, I just use my own ability to make the mana to power it. It's faster than drawing it from around me." He frowned. "Plus Vayla told me to do it like that. Something about getting me into good habits for conserving mana when I start learning higher level spells."

Genis blinked several times before he managed to choke out.

"You can _make_ mana?! No way! When Dalli told you how to do that bubble of mana thing I though it was from the air around you!"

Lloyd quickly finished twisting his rapidly cooling glass into a curled up approximation of an Arshis, cooling it and putting it in his ver. Walking over to Genis, he held his hands out in front of him, palms facing each other.

"Here, focus on the space between my hands and the air around me so you know I'm not cheating." The air between his hands began to shimmer lightly and then still. "Did you feel what I did?"

The silver haired boy poked a finger into that space with awe, feeling the tingle on his skin as it passed into the tiny area of saturated mana Lloyd had made.

"Yeah, you didn't draw from the air at all, and you're mana levels didn't drop either... The mana in there just appeared..."

Lloyd moved his hands, letting the mana there disperse into the air.

"It's really useful, but I, like the rest of the Alurannai, have limits. A basic measure of how much mana we can each generate is that it's enough to support the mana levels of ten people in an area of complete depletion comfortably, or fourteen for a short period. That's another reason I guess the Alurannai hid for so long. People would have looked at us as the mana faded and wondered why we didn't make more mana to stop it. There aren't that many of us, less than ten thousand. Ten thousand times ten, a hundred thousand people we could offset the mana for continuously, but that doesn't cover the mana used by the plants they grow to eat, and the animals raised for the same thing. A hundred thousand people, Genis, that's a third of the population of a place like Palmacosta and the surrounding farming towns that support it. It's practically nothing when you compare it to the population of the whole world and the creatures and plants in it. So little that the difference we could make would be totally unnoticeable. Why do you think Vayla's here? The Alurannai can't stop Sylvarant's decline by making mana, so we have to help Collette do it this way."

Genis saw the helpless look in Lloyd's eyes, as the young Nartu thought about all the suffering his people had been able to do nothing to stop.

"Lloyd, it's ok. Don't beat yourself up about it. It's nothing you guys could help so just let it go." He sighed. "Though it would have been nice if you could top up the mana around us when we fight. Right now it's getting harder and harder to cast ice and water spells. How am I supposed to fight fire monsters at the Seal when I can't use the elements they're weakest against?"

Lloyd grinned and began to chuckle.

"Now that _is_ something I can help with. I hope you like the cold Genis... Watch this..."

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"What's the matter, Collette?"

Raine walked up to the girl where she some distance from the campfire, Vayla having a nap on the other side of the dancing flames having set alarm wards up to warn of danger should anything other than Lloyd or Genis come near the camp. The girl looked up at her, before looking over at the sleeping alurannai woman.

"I've been thinking... about becoming an angel... All I know is that it's special, and that it will give me magic and all the other special things angels can do... But I've also been thinking about..."

Her voice petered out, her gaze upon the flames once more.

Raine sat down next to her, thinking once again about that conversation she'd had with Phidra all those weeks ago.

"You're afraid, aren't you..."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Collette sighed, gripping her knees tightly as she tucked them up under her chin.

"I know my duty, and I accept it... but... I'm still scared. Scared because in the end I know I'll forget everyone. Mom, Dad, Grandma. You, Lloyd, Noishe, Genis, Vayla... everyone... I won't remember Iselia anymore, or this journey... all of it will be gone, and that frightens me..." Her hands began to tremble, but she tightened her grip to stop it. "People say you are your memories, so I guess that really means I'll die. Not my body... but me, Collette of Iselia. Friend of Lloyd and Genis, and lots of others. Daughter of Frank and Aradine Brunel... It'll all be gone... I think that's scarier than being _dead_ dead, because I know that even when 'Collette of Iselia' is gone, 'Collette the Angel' will take her place and keep living... No matter how many happy memories I make on this journey... No matter how much I try to make every minute count... In the end it's going to be pointless, because it's all going to be gone... Gone..."

Raine couldn't believe what she was hearing. Couldn't believe that Collette, the girl who always said 'look on the bright side and smile', was sat here staring into the fire saying that there was no point in her trying to be happy and make more happy memories because she was going to 'die'. Raine grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing the stunned girl to face her.

"You're _wrong_, Collette. 'Collette of Iselia' _won't_ die in that Tower, because 'Collette of Iselia' will continue to live in the hearts and memories of those that knew her. Those that will cherish and treasure every memory of her. Who will hold those memories in their hearts until the end of their days... Like every person travelling with you right now... That's a _long_ time, Collette. Genis and I could live as long as a thousand years, and Lloyd still has almost ten times that before old age will eventually claim him... _Never_ think that continuing to strive to find joy in everything you do is pointless, because no matter how long you have left, the ways you've touched the lives of those around you will continue to make a difference even after you're gone."

Those wide blue eyes looked up at her, filling with tears as the girl's lower lip started to tremble. Biting down on it to stop it, Collette remained silent until she'd mastered the urge to cry.

"Thanks, Professor... for everything... If it weren't for people like you and the others, I don't think I'd be strong enough to go through with this. But it's _because_ of people like you that I want to, because it means that you all get to live in a world without Desian's for a time, without fear, and without famine and droughts caused by there not being enough mana. It's because of people like you that I'll keep going no matter what." She looked up, a small trembling smile just tugging at her lips. "And that I'll remember now that being happy isn't pointless, because it means being happy beside you all..."

Raine pulled this oh so vulnerable yet oh so brave girl into a hug.

"We'll always be here for you, Collette. You're not alone, and we'll be with you right up until the end."

Sitting there in the dying light of the sunset, the two of them watched the dance of the campfire's flames as the alurannai woman nearby slept on oblivious to the conversation that had just occurred. 'Look on the bright side and smile'... In truth that was all anyone could do...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Yeah this was a filler, but I wanted to put these scenes in before they got to the first seal. Raine's slow to trust new people, but not so closed off she won't eventually. It's the impression I got of her in the game so I decided to build on it. I never explained some of the little things the alurannai's ability to make mana lets them do, although I implied it, so I made sure to mention it this time (and about Lloyd's sculptures, they'll be explained later). Lastly is Collette's scene. When she 'talks' to Lloyd at the tower, she thanks him for giving her the courage to make such a sacrifice of herself. I built on that and put it here, because if Raine was really 'in the know' the whole time, Collette **_**must**_** have spoken to her about it at some point.**


	15. The Seal of Fire

**Alaia Skyhawk: Well here we are, forty-three thousand four hundred and eighty-nine words into the story, and they're only at the first seal... Yeah, I was right. This story is going to blow my other two fics out of the water in terms of length. I barely averaged two thousand words a chapter on Prequel and Hope, and in this I'm averaging over three thousand for the same.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 15: The Seal of Fire

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They halted...

They had passed one of the great monoliths that marked the fifty mile radius around the Seal, the border of the Sanctuary of Fire, just over two days ago, and now they stood at the edge of what was left of the original once great City of Triet. The remnants of walls thrust up from the sands like the desperate hands of the drowning striving for rescue. It was desolate, dead, and completely and utterly devoid of life. They began to walk forward once more, slowly, as though to trespass here would bring down whatever vengeance had torn this place apart.

As they continued towards the immense cliffs that soared up at the back of the city, surrounding it on three sides, Vayla called up the memory of the last time she'd walked down this street. Broken walls were overlaid by intact flat-roofed buildings, deserted and barren street by bustling people and merchant stalls. Letting the image in her mind go, she continued to look around at this result of Mithos' foolishness.

"This city was beautiful once... A place of life watched over by Efreet. This was the only city in the world to remain completely untouched by the war, for the Summon Spirit of Fire would allow no part of that here, no fighting. All within his Sanctuary were safe... Then the Tree died, the Spirits forced into slumber... The first time Efreet was released again by a Chosen his rage at what had happened to the world, what people and their foolish war had done to the world... it shook the land and he drove the people living here out into the desert with no warning. Nearly thirty thousand people lived here, in the place that was once green with the fields watered from the great oasis in the lea of Efreet's Altar... That day the Chosen could do nought but watch as Efreet drove those people out into the wastes with no food, water, anything... When she left the sanctuary with her escort, it was through a sea of the fallen innocent that she walked. Thirty thousand people died out in the wastes around this city, their bodies remaining as a reminder for decades to come, for Efreet in his vengeance stilled the sands around his sanctuary so that the bones of the dead would lay untouched as a warning... That is why this corner of the desert became known as the Sea of Bones, for the remains of all those thousands lay here until Efreet fell into slumber once more and the sands begin to move again."

Collette looked around at the devastation, the walls that in some places leaned away from the cliffs, a result of the blast that had ripped the roofs from the buildings the moment Efreet had awakened.

"...That's horrible... The Summon Spirit of Fire is a guardian... and it killed all those innocent people..."

Vayla put a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"He was angry, betrayed. Trapped for two centuries while the lands he was supposed to be watching over died around him, as he remained bound and unable to do anything. The incident was never repeated, for the next time he was released he was overcome with guilt at what he had done to the people who had lived here. But the past cannot be changed, and he knew people would never return to this Sanctuary, so the waters that once gave this place life he asked his sister Spirit Undine to send to a place far out in the desert. Thus Triet Oasis was born, and the people of the desert regained in some part that which had been lost. A place for those born to these lands to begin again."

Raine glanced at her, before looking around as the ruins buildings they passed once more.

"You seem to know a lot about the Spirits, Vayla."

Vayla looked up at the cliffs ahead.

"My people are one of the three Offspring Races, the Summon Spirits the second, as the Protozoans the third. We are all interconnected, as we all watch over the world in some way, and so it is not surprising that I would know of what Efreet felt at that time. We knew when it happened, for his anger made the mana currents of the world tremble. By the time my people arrived to see what had happened, it was already too late for the people of this city. All they saw was the Chosen walking though a sea of dead, her eyes filled with horror and guilt at what her releasing of the Seal had done..."

She stopped, stopped at the edge of a great square that held the remains of an ornate fountain at its heart.

"We should rest here until morning. To enter the Temple now after walking all day would be foolish, and this is as good a place as any." She walked towards the fountain's remains. "If you want to wash I'm going to fill the basin of that fountain with water. I put the food and cooking equipment in Lloyd's ver this morning so you can start setting the camp up. I'll get the tents out of mine in a minute."

As she walked away they knew she wanted solitude, wanted time to think about what had happened to this place. They gave her that, setting about making the meal of hard bread, dried meat, and cooked vegetable paste that was the travel fare when in such harsh lands. The same meal they'd had every evening since they'd replenished their supplies at Triet Oasis.

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The chamber looked empty, even to the experienced eye. Nothing was where it shouldn't be, no mark showed on the icy stone floor around the construct of magitechnology that had been built so long ago on top of the circular dais that was this temple's altar. Hovering above the Seal, Celsius gazed into the distance as though watching something far beyond the walls of the Ice Temple.

"It's almost time to begin..."

A murmur came from the side of the chamber, from a place where there was nothing but empty air, or so it seemed.

"I know...

Celsius nodded, able to see what any other living thing would not. Turning her dark eyes away from the auburn haired Aluran Crown Prince hidden beneath his veil of illusions, she cast her sight to the desert a world away once more.

"So long we have waited... and now the waiting is finally over... You betrayed your Vow to me, Mithos Yggdrasil, but even so I told you after that I would submit to my duty to hold this Seal and the anchor point it represents even though you had. You think we will never turn on you because all of us Elemental Greater Summon Spirits submitted that way... But now Krishka's power blinds the Eternal Sword so that you will continue to believe that as we slowly pull out from under you. By the time you _do_ realise, the last echoes of your pacts will be gone and with them any remaining power you have over us."

Kratos shifted in his concealment, his eyes too becoming distant.

"Yes, we will hide it from it in plain sight just as I hid what I was from him in plain sight for almost five thousand years. That is one of his flaws, he sees what he wishes to, and so is often blind to what lies right before him... Yes, at long last our wait is over... At long last it is almost time for us to begin." He closed his eyes, remembering the message he'd received from Vayla regarding his son. "Be careful, Lloyd... and good luck..."

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That night they all found it hard to sleep. Genis muttered as nightmares created by fear assailed him, Raine tossed and turned unable to settle, Collette couldn't seem to find it in herself to lie down, and Lloyd and Vayla just stared up at the stars. The only one actually sleeping properly was Noishe, and even he was uncomfortable due to his sore paws despite Vayla healing them each day. Eventually, as she felt it near the third hour before sunrise, Vayla did for the first time what she told herself she wouldn't. She sleep spelled everyone, sending them into deep dreamless slumber while she continued to look at the stars.

_This is it, the First Seal... and the start of Collette's suffering. Right now the only thing that spell bound Cruxis Crystal of hers has done to her is stop her aging, something which her body could adjust to with ease... But what is to come... Her body will fight it, fight the control of the spells binding that stone, and it will fail. With every Seal such will be the same. She will lose something, and her body will fight to regain it, but fail, and the pain the fight causes her will haunt her for days afterwards even once the initial symptoms have passed... I'm so sorry, Collette... but we've thought this through so much, and it's the only way we have a chance of pulling this off..._

For the first time setting powerful shields around the camp, shields that would even keep out an angel, Vayla went to sleep as well. Setting her awareness to wake her and lower the golden shield as soon as the first on her fellow traveller's stirred.

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Green eyes were filled with concern, as the future Unarim sat as her desk with chin resting on her clasped hands. Mezo had returned to Nae Shiu as arranged, to let them know the journey had begun, but one message had not been according to plan. Lloyd was no longer in Iselia, Vayla had taken him with her, and now her son was part of a terribly dangerous journey, even for an adult alurannai, never mind a newly adolescent.

Anna gave a trembling sigh, looking down at the message she had just received.

"The Seal of Fire... They will enter just a few hours from now... Oh Lloyd, please be safe... I've lost you once, and I don't want to lose you again..."

As remembered pain brought tears to her eyes, Anna folded her arms on the desk and lowered her head to rest on them. All she could do now was wait, hope... and pray.

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One by one they awoke, rested from their forced slumber. Being the first to get up, and see Vayla wake the moment she stirred, Raine suspected that the woman might have had something to do with them all managing to sleep despite the apprehension they all felt. She didn't blame the alurannai woman for interfering like that though. They _all_ needed that rest, for mistakes caused by exhaustion dulled wits were something that could well get them killed in the task ahead. They made breakfast in silence, ate it in silence, and packed up the camp in silence, heading past the once again empty fountain, the water now evaporated, and headed in the direction of the line of columns that marked the entrance into the underground temple.

It took nearly and hour to make it through the rest of the city ruins, as fallen rubble forced them to either take another route or climb over it. They had just reached the great promenade that bordered the long empty bowl of the old oasis, when Vayla's shout caused everyone to throw themselves to the floor.

"Down!" Several streaks of fire soared through where they'd just been, a second lower volley being blocked by the ebon haired woman as her wings rustled in agitation as a horde of shimmering, crackling balls of fire headed for them. "Fire Elementals. They're pure fire, they don't get tired, and they don't discriminate between targets. Anything that moves, they'll attack. They're probably where there's not even the usual lizards and insects in this area, they would have killed them all off."

Genis brought a bolt of lightning screaming down on top of one, knocking it to the ground only for it to slowly rise again crackling with even greater fury.

"How the heck can you get pure fire that has a mind of its own? Whoa!"

He ducked as the one he'd just hit tried to return the favour with a streak of fire, ducking behind the shields created by Vayla and Noishe as the attack continued.

"Remember how I said Efreet was upset by what had happened? Well at every seal you'll now find these things, made of the element that Seal represents. The Elementals are the manifestations of the anger of the Greater Summon Spirits. Even once the anger faded, the elementals remained imprinted upon the lands." She was pushed backwards several inches by a particularly vicious blast. "Enough chit chat, Lloyd cast that Shield Spell I taught you and remember to sing it, not _sing_ it. We don't want one the size of the Shield Ring of Aluran."

As Genis, Raine, and Collette watched baffled, Lloyd closed his eyes and began to sing. Something they'd never heard him do before... ever.

"_Vio tho ut arbois, tah sahcra tho beran vanai wrau..._"

A dome of golden light surrounded them as they felt Lloyd pull mana to himself in a continuous stream and wove it into the barrier he'd made.

Vayla and Noishe dropped their Guardian shields as the alurannai woman snapped.

"Don't just stand there gaping! Help me deal with these things. Lloyd's only a learner, he can't hold that for very long! Raine, hit them with as many of those Photon spells of yours as you can, there's plenty of light mana here. Genis, stay near me so you can cast your ice spells."

The two did as they were told, a ball of light enveloping one of the elementals as Genis began to cast. Fire mana was hauled from the air around them by Vayla, streaming through her and being transformed to fill the area of the protections where Genis and she stood with ice mana. That had been what Lloyd had shown Genis during that practice session a week ago. Conjuration, the alurannai ability to turn one type of mana into another. The separation of the worlds had meant that the counterbalance of opposing mana at each temple had vanished, the balance that kept Pact Battles fair for the challenging Summoner gone. All of the prior Chosens of both worlds had fought the creatures in these places with elements other than the one most effective since those were the only ones that could be called on. But this time the Chosen had a pair of alurannai with her, and a supply of ice mana was not going to be a problem.

The temperature in their part of the bubble plummeted, causing their breath to condense before them and the young mage to shiver. This fight had caught them off guard, there was no time for her to send it to him as a ribbon so the shock of passing from hot, to cold, to hot again wouldn't affect him. Two ice spell circles formed beneath them, and soon shards of ice and tornadoes of freezing wind began tearing into the elementals as spheres of light continued to batter one then another.

Pausing when the elementals came within range, Vayla brought two pieces of silvery blue quartz out of her ver and tossed them to Collette.

"Clip then into those bracelets I gave you. That's silver quartz, through your bracelets it will infuse your chakrans with ice mana as you throw them."

Understanding, the blond girl did as she was told, unhooking her weapons from their place under her long hair once the two stones were in place. Taking aim, she used her thumbs to flip the safety latches off on her chakrans and threw one of them. Pale blue mana flowed from her bracelet to the weapon as it left her grip, the loss of pressure on the band as it passed from her fingers causing the guards to fold together and slide inwards back from the edges. Razor sharp and infused with ice, the chakran hit its target and near sliced it in two. Two fingers hooking through the ring when it returned, her grip setting the guards in place once more, Collette watched in surprise as the Fire elemental she'd hit seemed to explode and implode at the same time. Seeing a few others do the same under the barrage of spells, she focused her attention back on the battle and took aim again.

After that the battle was brief, the Fire elementals unable to withstand the barrage of their elemental opposite. The last of them crumbling to ash and smoke, the golden shield protecting the group flickered and died as Lloyd dropped to his knees.

"Can we not do that again? I'm not sure I could do another of those shields right now."

Vayla was mulling over something, and with a sigh seemed to come to a decision.

"And I'm not even going to ask you to. Just use Guardian from here on out. As for the rest of you... I should have thought to teach you one of the defensive shielding techniques long before we got here, and now we don't really have time to stop and give you normal lessons. If you'll let me, I can 'cheat' teach them to you in about two seconds. It will probably give you a bit of a headache though."

Raine looked at the mass of scorch marks surrounding them, then gave the alurannai woman a long look.

"After that, I think a headache is by far preferable to facing something like that again with no protection. Do what you need to."

Running a finger over her ver, Vayla called out a silver bracelet with a pale yellow stone set into it. Putting it on Raine's wrist, she looked her fellow healer in the eyes.

"I apologise in advance."

A frown of concentration and a split second later Raine staggered as Vayla literally _shoved_ the knowledge of the defence technique most suited to her into her mind. Taking the bracelet off of her wrist, Vayla moved over to Genis and didn't give him the slightest chance to back out before she did the same to him.

Collette was a bit more philosophical about it than the young mage.

"Oh well, if it helps us save the world."

She held out her arm, wincing only a little as the knowledge of the technique Damage Guard appeared in her head.

Backing up from the three and casting a weak healing spell to ease the clear migraines each were currently suffering, Vayla turned and began walking towards the line of columns visible just a few hundred yards away, tucking the receiver crystal back into her ver as she did so.

"We need to keep moving. There's no telling how many more of those things might be hanging around out here."

No one argued, they knew she was right, and they had a job to do. A short walk later however, and all headaches were forgotten as the most totally unexpected and totally out of place occurrence did just that... Occur... right in front of them.

"These columns! This entrance! By their style they predate even the Ancient War! ..._Marvellous!!_ These have only been seen by a handful of people since the end of the war! Just look at it, it's like nothing made by humans or elves! I wonder who built such a _marvellous_ structure!"

Two alurannai, one human girl, a Protozoan, and one extremely embarrassed half-elven boy looked on as Raine proceeded to dash here and there from one side of the column lined entrance plaza to the other, cackling with a level of excitement that could be called borderline insane as she frantically scribbled in her notebook and made sketches. The worse was yet to come as Raine went wide eyed and practically flew over to the entrance itself. A stone plinth was set on the left of a dark grey slab that blocked the way down into the temple, not that Raine noticed right away since she was too busy almost drooling over the piece of stone.

"Oh my! This is Polycarbonate! Developed during the Ancient War to defend against magic! _Feel the smooth surface! It's WONDEROUS!_"

As the rest of the group caught up, Vayla stopped alongside them, mouth partially open as she stared at the silver haired woman with something akin to a combination of shock, horror, bemusement, and all out 'Spirits save me now' dread.

"Uh... Genis, I think I understand what you meant when you told me not to tell Raine how old I was... No _way_ am I telling her that _I_ predate the Ancient War... Is she always like this?"

Genis looked as though he wanted the ground to swallow him as Raine continued to cackle, and Lloyd backed up a step as he looked slowly over at his best friend.

"...Is she?"

Hanging his head in resignation, Genis answered.

"Aww, and I tried so hard to hide it... Yeah, she goes nuts like this over anything ancient and wants to study it..."

At this point Raine spotted the stone plinth and immediately began to practically drool over that it.

Collette walked up beside her, and you could almost sense the silent sigh of relief as she read what was on it.

"It's says 'Oracle Stone', and it has my family's crest on it... I think I need to do this..."

Ignoring Raine, Collette put her hand on the crest engraved on the Oracle Stone, and immediately the dark grey slab retreated into a recess in the sand coloured rock around it.

Seeing the 'relic' disappearing, Raine looked disappointed... for all over about five seconds until she saw the set of stairs leading down that it uncovered.

"We have to keep moving. Let the excavation begin!"

A split second later a flat voice clean shot the wind out of her sails.

Lloyd walked past her and started going down the stairs.

"We're not here to 'excavate' anything..."

Raine just stared at him, silent, as the rest of the group bar Noishe, who had offered to stand watch at the entrance, walked past her and into the temple.

"But... but..." The Protozoan had had enough, and kicked her sending her tumbling down the stairs after them. Two seconds later an irate half-elven woman's voice screamed at him from the darkness below. "I'LL GET YOU FOR THAT YOU MUTT!"

Noishe wasn't impressed, and curled up unconcerned in the shadow of one of the columns to wait until the group had done what they were here to do.

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The entrance chamber was just as Vayla remembered it, dark grey volcanic rock carved into pillars on the walls lining the length of the wide yet corridor-like room. No Saeniisumura came out of the next door to greet them though this time. The Saeniisumura had pulled out of all of the temples as soon as the end points of the Mana Links had been completed. Without the care of a watcher, this chamber that was once immaculate now had sand and volcanic dust collecting in its corners. This place hadn't seen a dedicated keeper in almost four thousand years, and as far as Vayla could see, it showed.

Lloyd pulled the still cursing but now sane Raine to her feet, the faint light from above only dimly lighting this room.

"We should go on. Waiting here isn't going to do us any good. Let's just do what we came for, and get out of here."

An air of solemnity had fallen upon them once more, and in silence the five travellers passed through the far doorway and into the passageway beyond. The two half-elves and the Chosen began to gasp as the sheer heat even in this passageway began to beat down on them, the pitted walls and floor only just bearable to touch.

Collette stopped, panting.

"It's so hot... How can we fight in this?"

Lloyd looked back at her, unaffected by the heat being what he was, though like for Vayla all those years ago and now, his plant instincts were screaming at him to get away from it.

"Vayla and I will fight anything between us and the Altar Chamber, so don't worry. We'll handle things as they come like we always do, ok?"

She smiled, reassured, though still suffering like Genis and Raine under the pressure of the temperature. They walked on, eventually reaching a vast curved wall that cut the chamber a few yards in front of them from floor to ceiling.

Seeing it Vayla muttered to herself, frowning.

"That wasn't there before. This used to open up directly upon the great Chamber of Fire, but now it looks like we have to go around."

Not saying anything to the trio behind them, she and Lloyd went right with the rest of them following behind. It wasn't long before they met their first 'enemies'. Strange enchanted jars hopped towards them with equally strange clacking sounds that they supposed were meant to be threatening. Side stepping the little globs of molten rock the things spat at her, Vayla swept in with her glaive and smashed them. Walking around the pools of red hot ooze left behind, the group continued until they came across a doorway beside which sat a small decorated box.

Ignoring the box, Vayla walked up to the door and tried to open it, cursing when it wouldn't.

"Dammit, we'll have to try the other way. We're not getting past this without a k... What the!?"

She leapt back as the seemingly innocent box latched onto her lower leg and bit deep. Crouching down, yelping as it bit harder, she managed to force the lid/mouth open off her leg and throw it away from her.

Lloyd threw a bolt of lightning at the box, knocking it back but doing no damage whatsoever. The spell effect just bounced off.

"Aww crap, it's immune to elemental magic!"

Vayla limped back away from it, blood trickling from the deep gouges in her right ankle, for the box was enchanted and all too able to harm her. Pulling something from under her green reta, she threw it at the box.

A chunk came off one of its corners, as the heavy, red handled dwarven made dagger struck it and drew a snarl of rage from the object. A gust of conjured wind brought the blade back to her, as Vayla then took aim once again.

"It's a Fake! A magical construct immune to the elements and most other magic. The only way to destroy them is brute force." She stumbled on her next throw, the damage above her ankle making it almost buckle. "Don't let it hurt you. Injuries caused by it can't be healed by magic until it's gone. It's very presence _stops_ the casting of healing arts."

Collette's chakran bounced off it, knocking off a tiny chip making it open its 'mouth' and bare two inch long blood stained teeth at her. Lloyd took the opportunity and lunged in, his weighted sword tearing into those teeth and shattering half of them.

The Fake shrieked, another blow from a dagger taking a chunk out of it. A second strike from Collette sent it hopping towards her hissing, but the hiss was cut off with a splintering crack as Vayla got the opening she needed and brought the butt of her glaive down on it and crushing it. Standing there looking down at the remains of the Fake, they all felt a faint tingle as the anti-casting curse the construct emanated vanished.

Vayla dropped her glaive with a clang, slipping to the floor so she could get a closer look at her leg. Kneeling beside her, Raine peeled back the blood soaked cloth of the woman's tattered leggings and hissed in sympathy.

"That's right down to the bone, you're lucky it missed the tendons." She put her hands on Vayla's injury, healing it before the alurannai woman could do it herself. "I know you're a healer, but so am I, and right now you and Lloyd are the two best able to fight in here. Let me take care of any healing work, and you save your energy. I may be a complete beginner compared to you, but I won't learn more unless I use what I already know."

Pausing for a moment, Vayla nodded and gave her a smile.

"Thanks, and you're right. Maybe you should do all the healing from now on, even after we finish here. I'm still here to help if it's an emergency, but if you can do it then why not?" She glanced at what was left of the Fake, and plucked something silver from among the pieces. "...I think I just found our key..."

She got up and walked over to the door again, favouring her newly healed ankle a little. Slipping the little silver rod into a hole in the door, it shuddered and ground upwards with a scattering of dislodged ash. Red light came through the now open door, the heat coming through as well making Vayla's folded wings flutter.

Collette came up behind her and looked through, eyes wide.

"...Wow..."

From here they could see the inside of the curving wall as it wrapped around all but the final quadrant of the lava filled chamber. Looking over to the far side two hundred metres away they could just make out the signs of another door like this one. In between lay a lake of lava, over which pathways wound their way from each door only to stop at a larger square which appeared to be a dead end. The young gild taking the initiative this time, Collette did her best to ignore the heat and walked out along the path towards that square. As soon as they reached it, the platform trembled on its supporting columns and spouts of fire burst out of the lava around it. A jolt followed by the grinding of stone announced the moving of two sections of walkway, one from each path to a door.

Watching the raging columns of fire warily, Vayla prepped and sent out a ribbon of ice mana to Genis ready for him to draw on should they need it, Collette checking how much silver quartz she had left as she did so.

"Be ready..." She paused to cast. "ALLIED SANCTUARY!" Silver light washed over them all, all but the two alurannai baffled. Vayla explained. "It's a support spell that stops us from hurting each other if we accidentally hit each other with a spell. There's other things it does but now isn't the time to explain."

The trembling stopped, and for a moment the columns of fire faltered... and then they exploded! Shreds of fire were flung upwards to hang in the air throughout the huge chamber, and the rest coalesced into four strange vaguely humanoid creatures that radiated heat like a furnace. One on each corner of the square platform where they were now trapped.

One of them lunged at Genis, who instead of jumping back silently blessed Vayla even though she'd given him a migraine.

"FORCE FIELD!" The blow of the creature's arm was stopped by the sphere of power Genis had created, though the force of it drove the boy to his knees. "A little help here..."

A blue tinged chakran slammed into the creature's head and it arched back as if had it had a mouth it would have screamed in pain. Half of its head now the black of cooled stone, it took a step towards Genis again. Genis however was no slacker, and even sat on the floor he could still cast. He had just cast Icicle when another voice shouted out at the same time.

"STORM SPRAY!" Needles of water blasted down across the entire platform yet not one of the hit the five of them, instead hitting only the fire creatures. Genis stiffened as suddenly he felt his Icicle spell recast itself and stream to Vayla who smiled. "Thanks, Genis... ICE STORM!"

The next second the 'rain' stopped and was replaced by a barrage of ice needles that shredded the four creatures and caused them to crumble into ash and smoke. Genis and the others just stared.

"...Whoa..."

Vayla shouldered her glaive, helping him up with her free hand.

"That was a unison spell. Some spells when cast at the exact same time will combine for a second more powerful cast moments later. The Alurannai spell Storm Spray combines with the level one standard spell Icicle, to make Ice Storm. Keep that in mind Genis and watch out for me asking you to cast Icicle. We might need that unison again before we finish in here."

As the last of the smoke vanished, another rumble began shaking the platform again. Turning they saw one by one great sections of walkway rising up out of the lava to form a series of stairs and paths leading high up into the air above the lake of lava.

Lloyd walked over to where the new path joined the platform, and reaching down he touched it.

"It's no hotter than what we're standing on already. We should keep moving."

Raine headed over, staff in hand ready should anything else attack.

"No arguments here."

The group moved on, climbing the stairways until they could go no further, blocked by a huge gap in the walkway. As Lloyd peered over the end down at the lava below, Collette spotted a strange column sticking up out of the lava to stop at chest height to those on the path. Taking a closer look she saw something on top of it and smiled with triumph. Lifting her right hand, the one wearing the Sorcerer's Ring, she pointed the gem of the magical tool at the tiny brazier on the top of the column.

"Fiirei!" The rest of the group shouted in surprise as the trembling started again, before exclaiming in shock as a new piece of walkway rose up from the lava below to fill the gap. As they turned to look at her, Collette smiled and showed them the ring. "This is needed to get to the Seal, remember. There's a brazier on that column so I used the Ring to light it."

She beamed at them with a chuckle, as they in turn smiled at her figuring out how to proceed.

Lloyd patted her on the back as they set off along the new section.

"Good job, Collette... Huh... What's that sound?"

They all stopped, peering around and finally noticing the shreds of fire that were still hanging in the air all around these higher walkways from the fight earlier.

Genis edged closer to his sister.

"Why do I get a bad feeling about this?"

No one got a chance to answer, as the shreds of fire nearest to them all twisted forming birds of flame that swooped down to mob the group. Everyone dropping to their knees to stop themselves being driven over the edge of the walkway by the assault, they each cast their respective shields and watched as the birds used up their energy and vanished into smoke. From that point onwards Vayla would race ahead, triggering the birds and waiting out the assault under her shield until the birds destroyed themselves, the rest of the group coming up behind as soon as it was clear. Through it all they climbed ever higher, Collette lighting other braziers along the way until they finally reached the top.

Vayla looked at the teleportation pad, one of the only things she'd seen in the temple that wasn't changed from the way the Alurannai had originally built it.

"This is it... Are you ready, Collette? I'd suggest waiting to rest before going in, but this heat will exhaust you if we stay."

Collette walked forward, her expression determined.

"I'm ready..."

She stepped onto the glowing circle of metal, vanishing as the others followed behind. When they all reappeared they were stood in a large domed chamber, the Seal obscured altar at the far side glowing with pent up energy that suddenly rushed upwards and made the air inside the chamber howl.

Uncovering their eyes when the blast of hot wind stopped, the group looked back at the altar to see three huge cat-like creatures with reptilian tails staring back at them. Of the three, two were about the same height as Vayla and Raine and twice as long as they were high. The last one was three times the size of the others, and was crowned with a mane of sharp grey spines that contrasted with its red and black skin.

It stared at them for a long moment, fires slowly creeping into life along its back as the two smaller creatures either side of it hissed at the group. Then without any warning, it roared and charged at them.

The group scattered, Vayla flinging herself ceiling-wards with a sharp flap of her wings.

"Lloyd! You take one of the small ones, I'll take the other! The rest of you keep Mr. Big and Nasty busy!"

She came down right on top of her target, the creature thrashing as it tried to get her off its back like a horse trying to throw its rider. Unfortunately for the creature Vayla had all too much experience riding on Arshis who were a lot more creative at getting people off their backs than it was. As Lloyd did the same to the other, staying on more through brute strength than by skill like Vayla, the other three members of the group were harassing the largest one from all sides, sending it lunging after one of them then another until they practically had it going round in circles.

Vayla's one gave a choked shriek as she slung her glaive into the harness hidden under her reta and pulled out the daggers hidden in the same place, jamming them into either side of its neck. A sharp twist later and it collapsed to the floor as Lloyd managed to copy her using his own much longer blades.

Jumping from the top of the dead creature, he ran towards where the last one was still being harassed by his friends.

"Two down, one to go.. whoa!"

The creature had seen him coming, seen what he'd done to its fellow, and so sent a blast of fire streaming at him that was so intense that alurannai or not it could have killed him if he hadn't dodged it. Tumbling over the stone floor, continuing to dodge, he didn't see Vayla signal Genis, though the young mage did.

"ICICLE!"

"STORM SPRAY! ..._Take this!_ ICE STORM!"

The creature howled as ice pierced it from below, shrieked as the spray of water put out its fire, and screamed in agony as the needles of ice then tore into it.

It staggered, turning to face the one it was its primary duty to fight.

Collette stared back with an expression that could only be called fierce. She then did something none of them had known her able to do. She put one chakran away, holding the other in her right hand as light mana pooled in her now empty left.

"Facing you is the last test of this trial, and so I end it!" She slammed the mana she held into the centre of the chakran, sending it racing towards the creatures head along with the last of the ice mana from her bracelets. "ICY RAY TRUST!" It hit the creature dead centre, the resulting blast of light and ice mana throwing the creature backwards to strike the wall behind the altar and shatter into embers that faded into ash like the other two attackers. Catching the ring as it returned to her, she glanced at her friends with a smile. "I didn't tell you guys _all_ my tricks."

Vayla actually stared in awe. In all her long life she'd never seen that attack before.

"...It looks like even I still have a lot to learn..."

Collette walked up to the altar, standing before the seal as she clasped her hands and bowed her head, closing her eyes.

"Oh Goddess Martel, protector and nurturer of the earth. Grant me your strength..."

The heart of the seal began to glow, and then with a series of clicks as various clamps unlocked a ring rose up and mana began to gather within the barrier the ring sustained. The ring lowered again, locking into place once more, and the fiery mana that had gathered dispersed into the room saturating the air as more mana then began to flow steadily up from the altar and a benevolent voice filled the air.

"You have done well, Chosen One." There was a flare of light, and just as he had promised at the Martel Temple, so did Remiel appear before his charge. "The first seal has been released and the flow of mana in this area restored. Efreet with surely awaken soon, and with his help the mana will spread out over the land once more. You have passed your second test, and so I will grant you the first part of your angelic power."

Collette's eyes went wide as multihued mana swirled down around her, surrounding her and drifting within her as her Cruxis Crystal blazed. She gasped, and suddenly strands of her mana flowed out from her back and formed a pair of segmented pink and gold wings. Some power acted against her wings, pulling her upwards to hover before her guardian.

Genis looked up in awe, and then frowned in puzzlement glancing between Collette's wings and Lloyd and Vayla's.

"Her wings look the same as yours..."

Vayla put a hand on his shoulder to silence him, though she never once too her eyes off Remiel.

"There are some distinct differences. I'll point them out to you later."

Ignoring the conversation going on below, Remiel continued to talk to Collette.

"Beloved Chosen, the Angel Transformation is not without pain. It is but for one night, be strong and endure."

Collette nodded.

"I humbly accept this trial."

Remiel smiled.

"Very good... I will await you at the next Seal, Chosen One Collette."

In another flare of light he was gone, and Collette found herself being lowered to the floor once more. Turning to face them, she smiled as Genis charged up to her.

"You have wings! That is _so_ cool!"

She grinned at him.

"Yup, and I can put them away too. Just watch." She made her wings vanish, and as Genis began practically leaping in excitement, for intelligent as he was he was still only twelve, she made them appear again and fluttered them to amuse him."

Smiling at this display, knowing deep down how short it would be, Vayla turned to face Raine.

"I've worked out two routes to go round the remaining Seals. Depending on whether we can get a ship at Izoold, we'll either sail east to Palmacosta, or travel north to the Asgard Continent and release the seals there first."

Raine looked nervous at the mention of sailing.

"The sea? Are you sure that would be wise given the monsters that have roamed the oceans lately?"

Vayla sighed.

"We'll see how it goes when we get there..."

There was a thud, and Lloyd suddenly sprinted from their side.

"_Collette!_"

The girl was on the floor, gasping for breath as tremors racked her body.

"I'm... f-fine..."

Raine knelt by her side, checking her pulse, noting her racing heart and the paleness of her face.

"You are _not_ fine, Collette." Raine began to panic, looking up at Vayla for guidance. "Her lips are turning purple, what should we do?"

Vayla reached down and picked the suffering girl up, cradling her head against her shoulder.

"The Angel, Remiel, said that the transformation wouldn't be without pain, and that it would last a night. This is clearly what he spoke of, and so I suggest we get out of here and get her somewhere more comfortable to rest."

Reassured by Vayla's certainty, Raine nodded in agreement and getting up, guided her brother towards the teleportation pad. As soon as they were all together they stepped on it and found themselves in a small room. Vayla recognised it of course, since this was the pilgrim's entrance she'd been taken via when they'd come here so long ago to make the pact with Efreet as part of Maxwell's First Test. Leading the way along the only exit, she eventually reached a stone door that ground upwards revealing the pitted hallway they'd passed through just a few hours before. Turning towards the doorway visible to their left, a doorway though which they could see a room with sun drenched steps beyond it, they walked out of the temple and into the late afternoon sun...

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Night had fallen, and Collette had woken up, though she was still in pain. Huddled near the fire, she kept her arms wrapped around her knees as she stared into the flames, while her friend of thirteen years watched from the other side of the fire. Never in his life had Lloyd felt so guilt, so helpless. Collette was suffering, and for the sake of the worlds he had to sit here and watch it happen. Reaching for his ver, he ran a finger over it and brought out the note from his father. It was written in Sumaityr, so he didn't have to worry about Genis, who was sat next to him, reading it.

_'The road will be long, Lloyd, and harsh. It was never intended that you travel with Collette directly, but rather that you stay in Iselia until it became time to move you into position. We may still not know which of you or Alysii is the Chosen of Restoration, especially now that we know from you that she's alive, but there are still things both of you will need to do regardless of which of you it is. One will wield the Sword, the other must support them during the battles ahead. I know it is hard for you to see Collette suffer, but stay strong Lloyd. And know that as soon as I can, I will join you... Ceika Ni murato nu quarre mi unatu.'_

Lloyd sighed, reading the note one more time before putting it away.

_I'll try, Ata. For everyone's sake, I'll try..._

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The air was cold, as it always was a night in the desert. Standing on the shore of the dead oasis, Collette looked out over the desolation at the long abandoned city beyond. Her hands still shook from the pain still running though her, but here alone she didn't try to hide it. Out here, she didn't have to pretend she wasn't afraid.

"Why am I doing this? Why do I have to suffer like this? Isn't there some other way? Some other way to wake Martel and bring life to the world? ...They say becoming an angel is special, yet no one but the highest ranking members of the clergy and the Chosens are allowed to know what it really means. Would people think it so special if they knew? If they knew that to become an angel is to surrender to the death of your soul while your body lives on afterwards? It's just too cruel! They live, unknowing of the suffering and death that the Chosen must face, all the while believing that it's just a journey. Pray at a few Seals, become an angel, it's all so idealistic. The thin coat of bright paint that hides the charred and dead wood beneath..." Tears welled up in her eyes, as she finally gave into the pain and let herself cry. "Why?"

Unknown to her, standing in the shadow of a rock, Vayla watched her with eyes full of guilt. She'd been stood there for some time, now that Raine and Genis were both asleep and wouldn't notice her absence. That meal that Genis had so carefully cooked, Collette had nearly frowned when through slight of hand she'd given her a bowl with barely two mouthfuls of food in it. One mouthful later and the girl had suspected, the second and she had understood. Putting the empty bowl aside and making an excuse that she wanted to walk for a bit since it eased the pain, she'd retreated behind a nearby rock and thrown up. After that she'd come to the shore of the old oasis, come here to work her way through her latest crisis of faith.

_I'm so sorry, Collette. Even when we get you out of this it's not going to change what you are, what you're becoming. You like all the other Chosens in the past will have no choice but to continue living until you decide you've had enough. No rescued Chosen up until now has lasted more than two centuries before taking their lives, I only hope that once this is over you see it as a gift and as a chance to continue to make a difference. I'd hate to see you go the way so many of the others have..._

The girl began to speak again, her voice just reaching Vayla's ears.

"I know why I'm doing this. I know why I must suffer... And I know why the people cannot know... But it just doesn't seem fair... But then the world isn't usually fair anyway, so why should it be any different for me?"

Vayla bit her lip, she wanted so much to comfort this girl, to let her know things were changing for the better hidden beneath the lies.

_But I can't, because one accidental verbal slip from her during this journey could destroy our chances. This Ritual isn't the only thing that isn't fair._

With that Vayla left the girl to her thoughts, and faded back into the darkness to return to the camp.

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With a grin Lloyd passed around the bowls of breakfast, making a point of almost dropping Genis' in his lap so that the young mage didn't notice that Collette's bowl was empty, just a smear of porridge round the sides from where Vayla had made it look like she'd spooned something into it. Lloyd gave her a glance, a single discrete pat on the hand, and then proceeded to apologise to Genis in what quickly became one of their teasing matches.

Pretending to eat, she giggled as Genis called Lloyd dumb, only for the Nartu to respond with 'Not anymore'. At that point teasing became wresting and the two youths rolled across the sandy ground with Raine's voice rising to tell them off for acting like a bunch of children.

"But we are!"

Raine gave them a long look before sighing in resignation.

"I give up..."

Watching them, Collette continued to smile. If Lloyd knew she couldn't eat, and Vayla did, then maybe she didn't have to feel so alone.

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Strolling alongside Noishe as the ruins of the old city disappeared into the distance behind them, Lloyd scratched the ears of his lifelong friend and sighed.

**Things are so different now. Different from when I lived with Ata and Myrta. Different from when I lived with Dirk. I heard the gasp of joy from Efreet when he woke up and the others told him that things are almost over, that the Chosen of Restoration has been born and that the Plan was in motion as they spoke to him. Y'know he came last night, to look at me, hiding himself so that no one could see him. Even so, I knew he was there. He was happy Noishe, and he wants so much to help.** He grinned** Have you noticed how nice the weather is? It's even cooler than it was, like he's pulling the heat out of the air so we're more comfortable while we're still in his Sanctuary. It's nice to know we've given him hope, I just hope Alysii and I are up to the challenges ahead.**

Noishe nuzzled the side of Lloyd's face with his nose, drawing a protest at the cold from the boy.

**Yes, it is nice we've given him hope, and as for if you're up to the challenge, I **_**know**_** you are, Lloyd. We'll find Alysii, she's in Sylvarant so we might even find her in a town or something as we travel. Until then don't worry about it, and just trust that things will work out alright in the end.**

Lloyd grinned, ruffling Noishe's ears before running ahead to talk to Collette about the attack she'd used to end the fight at the Seal. The Arshis chuckled.

_It's all we can do... I hope we find Alysii soon. Then Mezo can finally be with his Bonded Partner again. He misses her as much if not more than Vayla and Rennan do._

Sighing, Noishe continued to follow along at the rear of the group, wincing a little as the constant rub of the sand made his paws sore. Only time would tell.

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It was silent in the icy cavern, Celsius hovering in the air above the Seal as she usually did, taking no notice of what she could sense below her. Even if the illusions cloaking Kratos were not good enough to prevent magical detection, the presence of her mana radiating though the room would mask him far beyond even Krishka's ability to detect should the First Sumara Lord have looked. There beneath her the Inartu of Aluran had begun his task, painstakingly setting the anchors in place millimetre by millimetre. While Kratos and what he was holding were undetectable, the moment of contact between backup and Seal was not. Kratos would have to hold it the tiniest of distances from that surface, as he turned it fraction by fraction, back and forth until he had the alignment _perfect_. It could take a few hours, or even a few days before he'd risk that crucial moment of vulnerability. And then after that, he would have to do it again for the remaining seven backups for this Seal. While separate from the Seal the backups could be destroyed, but once in place Cruxis would be able to do nothing about them even if by some incredibly small chance they found out about them. Celsius knew though that should an angel come here and notice them, not that they would, she would just say it was mana crystallising on the contacts around the edge of the Seal. After all that was exactly what the backups looked like. The delicate yet incredibly strong devices sheathed in quartz of the element of the Seal, the only purpose of that quartz being to disguise them as something wholly innocent.

She allowed herself a small smile, quick to fade.

_When the time comes, Mithos Yggdrasil, you won't even know what hit you..._

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The young woman sighed in her sleep, curling up in her blankets as the fire died down to embers. A hint of joy reached her, echoing from far away, and for all that she couldn't remember she knew deep down that joy was about her and someone else from her past. Rolling over, she remained asleep, not aware at all of the names she muttered in her dreams.

"...Efreet's happy... Lloyd... You're there? ...Lloyd?"

No answer came, or at least at first, but somewhere far away someone turned and looked eastwards with a look of hope, whispering a name.

_'Alysii... Yes... I'm here...I'll find you...'_

Hearing it, but not hearing it, she rolled over again and became still as the dreams faded away and the smile remained on her sleeping face.

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**Alaia Skyhawk: MUAHAHAHAHA! LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG! My LONGEST EVER chapter! (Dances) I was aiming for 10 thousand words but fell short by 5 hundred or so... I just ran out of little scenes that fit on the end. (Sighs) Oh well, maybe I'll make that many on my next super long chapter where ever that one will be.**


	16. Taking a Breather

**Alaia Skyhawk: lol, Chapter 15 was 9505 words long. Hands were tired by the end of that, really tired lol. Anyways, onwards I go.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 16: Taking a Breather

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Two weeks... You'd think that after two weeks, in which Collette had spent ninety percent of the time travelling riding on Noishe's back, she'd feel better. In truth while the pain was gone a deep lethargy had taken its place, draining her of energy so much that even watching someone playing with Sandra's fennec had barely raised a genuine smile from her. Arriving back in the city of Triet Oasis at a time equidistant between the two-monthly Grand Market, this time Vayla had declared it safe enough for them to enter the city openly and declare to the people that the first Seal had been released. That walk through the city had been as slow as the one a month previous, with thousands of people lining the streets wanting to get a look at and give their wishes of future success to the young girl. Vayla had made Collette ride Noishe for all of this, as this time since secrecy wasn't needed the Protozoan could come to Sandra's inn with them.

When they'd made it to the inn Collette had politely pleaded exhaustion from travelling and had told the massed people that for the Prayer Day two days hence she would ask if the city's clergy would hold a service on the banks of the Oasis, where she herself would lead the prayers for all the people of the city. Raine hadn't liked it, and would have scolded her, if she hadn't also acknowledged that if Colette left the city without doing that it would greatly upset the people. Staying here more than a week in order to attend the Prayer Day after that was out of the question. That is if they wanted a chance of getting over the Ossa Mountains before the spring storms started, which they certainly did. That meant she _had_ to lead the service in two days, they would leave the morning after that.

The fact that Collette could no longer eat had been carefully hidden from the two half-elven siblings in the group, and having Noishe at the inn made concealing it even easier. Noishe would lie next to the girl's feet on the pretence of keeping an eye on her in case she got too tired and needed to be carried, and she would slip the food she was given to him for him to 'dispose' of. Sufficient to say Lloyd wouldn't have to feed the Arshis during their stay.

Speaking of which, Lloyd had become increasingly distracted, staring off into the distance at odd moments, most often late at night or early on a morning if he was up before dawn. He'd dissembled every time, claiming that he was thinking about when he'd see his father again, and his mother. It was a perfectly legitimate reason, and so not even Vayla questioned it...

Sitting in the common room of Sandra's inn, Lloyd picked over his breakfast. Having arrived late yesterday the group had gone straight to bed, but alone in his room shared with Genis, Lloyd had decided not to sleep that night and had instead spent it looking out of the window up at the stars with eyes that didn't once really see them.

Sighing so quietly not even Vayla would hear it, Lloyd set his spoon down in his empty bowl.

_Alysii, do you even realise you're projecting your dreams at me? When I'm awake and you're asleep I can see them. The places important to you, the places you see as home right now. Wherever it is they are, they're beautiful in your eyes, and seeing them through your dreams I'd have to agree... A home so far away right now that you only have your memories of it... You miss it, and that's why it haunts you as you sleep..._

Sitting there, chin propped on one hand, Lloyd watched as motes of dust danced in one of the streams of light coming in through the open windows.

_You don't remember anything about before... that. The attack, you don't remember it, which means you're not an adolescent yet. Will we find you before then, or will you reach that point, remember, and then come home on your own through the Sentinels?_

His gaze moved to the window itself, watching the people outside as they passed by.

_I guess only time will tell..._

"Lloyd, if you're going to stare out the window like a lost soul, then you may as well go to the market and get the supplies we'll need." The young Nartu turned just in time to catch the several bags of gald Vayla tossed at him. She pointed at his ver. "Put all but one in your ver and find a quiet spot to take another out when you empty one. Do the same to put the supplies you get into it. I don't want you carrying a large amount of money openly, or using your ver openly either. Each bag has one thousand five hundred gald in it, and it's all in Demait, Inta, and Deic, with a handful of single gald coins. I'm not trying to be a penny pincher, but if you can get a discount by playing the 'it's for the Regeneration' card, do so. Most of the people in the city saw you with Collette yesterday so no one will gainsay you being one of her escorts. Now this is what I need you to get." Vayla then proceeded to speak _very_ fast through a _very_ long list of items. In times like this a perfect memory made things a lot easier. "Got all that?"

Lloyd got up from his chair, tucking one bag of gald inside his shirt and putting the others in his ver. Tightly folding his still stubborn wings under his reta since he _still_ couldn't retract them, he then looked up at her.

"Yup. I'll see you in a while."

Vayla smiled at him.

"Actually why don't you take Genis with you? There's no need for you to hurry back, so why not get the supplies and spend the rest of the day exploring? Collette will be going in a while to meet with the priests about the service tomorrow, and both Raine and I will be going with her. You two go have some fun. Just make sure you're back before dark. You're 'known' here now, so you needn't worry about Desians if any show up. If they make a move against any of us now the people of the city will lynch mob them."

Getting up from his own seat, Genis looked across to where his sister sat beside a slightly sleepy looking Collette.

"I'll see you later then, Sis." He ran over to Lloyd and pulled him towards the door. "C'mon! Let's go explore!"

Vayla and Raine both chuckled as the door closed behind the two, and then spoke in unison.

"Boys will be boys..."

-----------------------------------------------------

It felt good to back in his normal cloths. Red short sleeved shirt with gaps at the shoulders for his sarren, dark grey trousers held secure by suspenders, crossed heavy belts for his also heavy swords, red boots, and over it all his white trimmed azure reta. Head uncovered, the faint breeze now free to ruffle his rich brown hair, Lloyd strolled down one of the city's main streets in search of one of the covered souks that housed the regular everyday markets. A few brief questions asked of an awed young boy got them directions, with Lloyd giving the child a Deic with a smile.

"An honest and friendly reply deserves something good in return. Go get yourself something nice."

The young boy, who only looked about seven, beamed and thanked him before dashing off down the street to tell the cluster of other children nearby just how nice the 'boy in red helping the Chosen' was.

Following the child's directions it wasn't long before the high pointed arch of an entrance into a souk came into view, and looking around with great interest the two friends walked towards it. Inside the souk it was a lot cooler than out in the street. The high ceiling of the structure forming a huge breezeway as well as providing shade from the intense beating of the sun. Barred openings in that ceiling let in light, and for once the two were walking through a market where the air didn't stink like a midden.

"Fresh bread! Get your fresh bread here! Only one Deic apiece!"

"Dried fish! Best dried fish from Izoold!"

The hawking of the stall owners echoed off the ceiling, adding to the general background cascade of haggling and chatting punters. Looking around in wonder, Genis still made sure to get separated from his friend.

"This place awesome. The roof is as high as the roof of the church in Iselia..."

Looking up at it, Lloyd had to agree.

"Yeah..." He frowned. "It's not as high as the walkways in Nae Shiu though. They're at least ten feet higher up in the trees than that roof is tall."

"Huh?"

Looking down at his friend, Lloyd realised what had confused him.

"Oh... Nae Shiu is the closest thing the Alurannai have to a capital at the moment. I was born there, and a fifth of the Alurannai live there. It's a big town all built up in the treetops with walkways connecting all of the buildings, and stairways leading up to those from the forest floor... Maybe once this journey is over you could come visit it." He grinned. "And hey, with you being an 'elf' maybe you'll be around when the time comes and we can go back to Aluran. If you are then you can come and see Alahnsyr once we've rebuilt it. I've never seen it myself, but I remember my ata telling me about it when I was little. It's like Nae Shiu but built around what they call the Mother Trees, the oldest trees in the world. They're hundreds of feet tall and as big as some of the houses around here in are diameter. They're so big and so strong that the city had dozens of levels and had walkways so wide that houses were built on them, and there were great spiral staircases going up from one level to another wrapped around the trees climbing higher and higher until on the very highest level stood the Palace of the Nartana. All of the Alurannai lived there, all together, it was only when the war started and humans burnt it down that my people split up into smaller groups to live around the Giant Tree's meadow within the safety of the Great Shield Ring. Once the war ended and the tree died, those scattered to the hidden corners of the world and that's where they've been since."

Genis blinked several times before speaking.

"That city sounds incredible..." Once again a familiar frown came to that face. "Wait, you said humans burnt it down? Why didn't the Alurannai stop them? They're more than strong enough from what I've seen Vayla do."

Lloyd sighed.

"The Alurannai don't pick fights they don't need to, Genis. It was a choice between fighting back and killing hundreds or even thousands of humans, or abandoning Alahnsyr and killing none. Once inside the Shield Ring the Alurannai were unreachable. There was no _need_ to fight, so they didn't. A city is just buildings, if destroyed they can be rebuilt. But lives, those can never be replaced..." He sighed again. "Look, enough of this for now. Let's hurry and get those supplies so we can go explore."

The grin came back to his friend's face.

"Yeah."

The next hour was spent moving from one stall to another getting the many things that Vayla had told Lloyd to get. Careful to spread the bulk buys over several stalls of the same type, Lloyd and Genis were able to duck into corners to pack the items into Lloyd's ver without being noticed, using such times to also get fresh bags of coin out ready for the next round of purchases. It was after the last of the supplies were bought and Lloyd was checking how many bags of coin were left when he noticed something funny about one of them. Tipping it up, he found the only reason it weighed the same as the others was because Vayla had topped it up with sand. What was actually inside was four hundred gald and a note.

Lloyd grinned.

"I should have known she'd do something sneaky." He showed Genis the note. "'Pocket Money'... Vayla's given us two hundred gald each to spend on whatever we want." He tipped Genis' half into one of the empty coin pouches and passed it to him. "C'mon, I've dragged you round the stalls for the past hour, now you can pick which we go to first."

The silver haired boy took no further prompting and grabbed Lloyd's wrist and dragged in down towards the craftsman's area of the souk.

"Raine's birthday is soon! Let's see if they have anything she'll like down here!"

As Lloyd allowed himself to be pulled along, he was mentally cursing himself. He still hadn't gotten around to finishing Collette's necklace! Glancing over occasionally as Genis became totally engrossed in looking at the contents of one of the stalls, the owner more than happy to answer the youngster's questions about the various items, Lloyd bought a couple of uncut amethysts from a neighbouring stall to add to Collette's as yet still unfinished necklace. He'd save money and cut the stones exactly how he wanted them himself later. Just about to return to Genis' side he spotted a weapons stall just across the way and found himself looking between the extremely scorched and battered wooden kendama on his friend's belt and the selection of proper caster kendama that were on the stall along with a good selection of staffs and other weapons.

Looking between the two one more time he shrugged.

_Vayla will see it as an investment... Or she could have been sneaky again and figured I'd spot the weapons stalls and notice the state Genis' kendama is in. I know him and Raine a lot better than her, so I could pick new weapons to suit them far better than she could... and she _did_ give me _far_ more gald that was needed for the supplies..._

Decided, Lloyd left Genis to his continued rummaging and headed over to the weapon stall. The owner was about to say something when Lloyd leaned over and took a closer look at one of the staffs, still keeping an eye on Genis out of the corner of his eye.

"Nice work on this. White oak from the forests south of Luin," he touched a small darker streak on one side of the shaft, "made from a lightning struck branch." He glanced up at the startled stall owner for permission. "May I?" The owner nodded slowly, Lloyd then picking the staff up and hefting it before examining it end to end. "Really nice balance, nice weight too, and the lightning strike hardened the wood beautifully and gave it a really nice resonance for spell casting... How much do you want for it?"

Finally recovering from his startlement, the stall owned chuckled at himself before answering.

"That's the best staff on my stall, you have a sharp eye, and clearly you yourself could tell me what that staff is worth. You obviously know your craftwork."

Lloyd chuckled at well, setting the staff back in its rest on the stall rack.

"I was fostered by a dwarf up until recently. He taught me a lot. As for the staff... Lightning stuck white oak is rare, though the demand for it is low. Bearing that in mind along with the quality of the craftsmanship, it's worth at least two and a half to three thousand gald."

The stall owner looked impressed.

"Knowledgeable _and _honest. Every person I've had look at that and value it in the past with a mind to purchase it has undervalued it by over sixty percent, and I could tell by their eyes that they knew it. You however said it spot on and you clearly know that too." He appeared to think something over. "I'll sell you it for two thousand gald. I'll return your honesty by admitting I got that white oak cheap of a merchant who found it fallen by the side of a road but had no idea what it was really worth. I've seen a lot of shifty craftsmen trying to cheat me out of it, so I'd rather have it go to an honest one for a good price." He looked around at his other wares as Lloyd grinned his acceptance. "Was there anything else you were looking for?"

A few minutes later and the white oak staff along a kendama also made of lightning stuck white oak, from the wood that was left over from making the staff ironically, were paid for from two pouches of gald discretely pulled from his ver and Lloyd bid the stall owner farewell and good luck for his business in the future. Before walking back over the Genis, Lloyd once again ducked into a corner, but before putting Raine's new staff in his ver he cast a few preservation and protection spells on the two weapons, having been taught them by Vayla after he'd pestered her to so he could bespell the things he made to make them last longer.

Kendama and staff now both at least temporarily immune to damage, he'd have to get Rennan or his ata to do a _proper_ job of it as soon as he got a chance to see either, Lloyd ghosted up behind Genis and deftly removed the damaged kendama and replaced it with the new one. It would be funny to see how long it took his friend to notice the larger, heavier caster's kendama with the actual toy kendama he'd been using up until now replaced by it.

Backing up a few steps, Lloyd slid both of hands under his reta so he could hide made a point to walk normally back to Genis' side before tapping him on the shoulder.

"Found anything good?"

Genis immediately brandished several books, one of which was a blue leather bound blank journal he could note down all the spells he knew in along with notes about things he'd figured out to allow himself to cast those spells better. It looked like he was planning to make a proper mage's workbook for himself the way his sister had her green one. Once the books were paid for the two of them had browsed the rest of the stalls in this area of the souk, buying a couple more things here and there, they headed outside again to think about where they wanted to look next.

The silver haired half-elf tipped out his gald pouch and counted how much he had left.

"Three Deics and seven gald, I've got thirty-seven gald left. How much do you have?"

Lloyd counted his, the total not much higher than his friend's.

"Forty-two. Not much left to look around more stalls, and I don't know about you but I'm hungry. Do you want to head over to the oasis? Sandra said the best market for the fresh fruit and vegetables is down near the shore."

Genis thought about where they were in the city, and then looked around at the bustle of people now crowding the streets at this late afternoon hour.

"That would be great and all... but it means we have to walk all the way there with all these people staring at us because we're part of Collette's escort. It wasn't so bad inside the souk, because the dim light made us less noticeable."

Glancing around and noting the handful of people who had actually stopped to look at them from across the street, Lloyd had to agree. Taking Genis by the wrist he led him along the street and down an alley before gripping his friend under the arms.

Genis went wide eyed.

"Lloyd! Vayla said you weren't allowed to use your wings!"

The young Nartu chuckled.

"Who said I was going to use my wings?" The next second Genis yelped as Lloyd jumped up onto the roof of the building they were next to in a single leap. Putting his friend down on the roof, Lloyd pointed to the oasis they could see from their new vantage point, before turning his back to him and crouching down. "Get on. We're going to do some roof hopping. Vayla didn't say I couldn't jump places, and as long as I jump side streets and not the main ones no one will see us." The grin on Lloyd's face was infectious, and getting on his back Genis was wearing a grin just as wide as Lloyd got a good grip on his legs and dashed towards the edge of the building. "Hang on! Here we go!"

Lloyd sailed clean over the side street below, not slowing down in the slightest as he landed and picked the next gap, sprinting towards it.

Genis' grip on his friend's shoulders tightened as the next jump cleared the gap as easily as the last, the wind of their passage blowing his shoulder length silver hair out behind him.

"This is great!"

The roof running continued, with Genis' occasionally shouting in exhilaration as they crossed one of the wider gaps or leapt up or down from one height of rooftop to another. Their unorthodox route in the end had them at the shore of the oasis in less than ten minutes, when a walk through the streets might have taken them an hour to do the same. Dropping down from the last roof into an alley, Lloyd and Genis walked out into the open and headed along the shore in search of the market Sandra had told them about. It didn't take long, and soon the two of them were happily munching on half a small melon each. Stopping at another stall to buy a small woven grass basket filled with, of all things, strawberries, something neither had expected to find here, the two of them kept walking along the shore of the oasis enjoying the view of crystal clear waters and the green carefully watered fields radiating out from them.

Stopping at the very edge of the water, Lloyd looked out at that view with wonder.

"If this is what the old City of Triet looked like, then Vayla was right. It _was_ beautiful. If you reach out to the water with your senses you can feel the magic pushing it up out of the sands of the desert, causing it to be here."

Genis stood beside him, nodding in awe.

"Yeah, I can feel it. Efreet really did ask Undine to move the water. The magic I can sense is a bit like what I could sense at the Seal of Fire... The power of a Greater Summon Spirit... It makes you feel small... doesn't it?"

Lloyd continued to gaze across the waters.

"Yeah, it does..." He glanced to his right, suddenly puzzled by what he'd just spotted. "Huh? What's with that tent? It's all covered with weird marks."

Curious, both of them walked over to it, soon finding out what it was. Genis stared at the eye symbol pained on the entrance flap, before glancing at Lloyd.

"A fortune teller." He pointed at the sign next to the flap. "And it's only one Deic for a reading. Wanna try it out for some fun?"

Grinning, Lloyd headed for the flap.

"Sure."

The inside of the tent was dim, scented with incense, and lit by a single small oil lamp on the table beside the middle aged woman waiting inside. Her hair was wrapped in a red and gold headscarf, so they couldn't see its colour, but her eyes were the usual dark brown of the desert dwellers, and were filled with a deep wisdom that would have left them in no doubt that she was a genuine fortune teller even if the two of them hadn't been able to sense the strange magic surrounding her.

"Welcome, ye who come before me out of curiosity rather than actually seeking me out as the people of this city generally do. I have heard of you, companions of the Chosen One, though even _I_ never actually expected you to walk in my door." She smiled. "Which of you would like to go first? I won't charge. You're aiding of the Chosen in her quest is payment enough."

Genis walked forward, Lloyd still too distracted by the woman's aura to take the initiative and go first.

"I will. My name's..."

The woman held a hand up, silencing the young mage.

"No, do not tell me your name. Some people seem to think that it you tell your name to a supposed fortune teller your name it lets the _guess_ things about you rather than _see_ them. Thus as a rule I refuse to be told a person's name the first time I do a reading for them. Now sit down on that stool and give me your hands."

Genis sat down on the stool she'd pointed to, set right on the floor in front of her, and did as was asked.

"No crystal ball?"

She laughed as she took hold of his hands.

"No... That's just something the cheap carnival 'fortune tellers' have to add mystery and hide the fact that they're making things up as they go. A true 'teller needs only their own gift of perception and the presence of the one they are doing the reading for. Now let's see what I can sense about you." She held his hands palm up, gazing at them with her eyes distant before she closed them altogether. "One who feels the need to hide, but lately has been growing in confidence, so much so that they consider even now casting aside the veil of partial truth they use to conceal reason for that feeling. You are sure in your abilities, determined to learn, and ever loyal to those closest to you. You know but one blood relative, but your 'family' numbers more than that. A distant kind voice speaks a request for a promise, a promise you hold deep in your heart along with the determination to keep it. You will face many challenges, learn much, your path in that respect is clear. Beyond that though I see only mists, for the future for you is as yet undecided. You have yet to make the choice or choices that would allow me to begin to see that future, thus for now that is all I can tell you."

Genis stared at her in awe as she released his hands. Her reading of him was precise, no half truths that _seemed_ to fit, but a string of definitive statements that matched him perfectly.

"Wow... How'd you do that?"

She smiled at him kindly.

"I do not know how, only that I can. My mother spotted my gift while I was young and after that made sure I never crossed paths with the hoaxers common at carnivals. It was only when I was grown up and left home that I began using that gift, by instinct alone. That's what makes me special to the people of this city. A seer untainted, allowed to learn her ability without interference. In that I am a rarity. Now, if your friend would like his turn?" Genis got up, allowing Lloyd to take his place on the stood. Cautiously Lloyd gave her his hands, and thus she did as she had done with Genis. Gazed at his hands for a moment before closing her eyes. "You... I've never met one such as you before... The inner essence of plant life, in one that walks as a person... One from a people not seen for centuries, believed gone. You have a companion, one bonded to you from birth. He is of yet another kind believed to have disappeared. You spent years living in a place of peace, but the peace became uncertain for a time and you came to live in another such place far from the first. The peace of that new place was shattered however, and you remained lost for some time until you were found. New times came, you grew up unknowing of your past in this place you had been lost, watched from afar by those who care deeply about you. Now you journey, a journey... within a journey... The dreams of one who first drew breath so little time after you, haunt you when the dark of night falls, all through to the pale light of the new morn after. Things... echo... around you both... All paths, all futures, coincide with you both... as yet uncertain the future is as to which of you will ultimately be the one to lead the way. It is_ you two _who cloud the future of all... you... _Who are you?_"

Lloyd pulled his hands from hers, stumbling as he tripped over the stool while backing away.

"I uh... I have to go."

He turned and ran from the tent, the woman standing up and reaching out as if to stop him.

"_Wait!_ _I'm sorry! I didn't mean..._"

Genis reassured her, though in truth he was totally freaked out right now. _Lloyd_ and someone else were what made his future so uncertain?

"Don't worry, you just freaked him out. Thanks for the readings..." Genis ran out after Lloyd, looking around frantically until he spotted him huddled against one of the desert palm trees further along the shore. Racing over to him, the young mage came to a stop beside him and crouched down to try and see his friend's face. "Lloyd, are you alright?"

Lloyd was trembling, refusing to look Genis in the eye.

"It's nothing..."

Genis scowled.

"That's a lie and you _know_ it! If it's nothing then why are you shaking like that? Did hearing that really freak you out so mu... What she said... 'It is _you two_ who cloud the future of all.' 'As yet uncertain the future is as to which of you will ultimately lead the way'... You _know_ what she was seeing the edges of, don't you? You _know_ why you 'cloud the future'. You're hiding something from me? From all of us?"

That last part held an edge of uncertainty, an edge fear that Lloyd didn't trust him.

Lloyd still refused to meet his gaze.

"Vayla and Noishe know... I-I'm sorry, Genis. I _can't_ tell you."

Genis' stared at him, hurt.

"But..."

"Tell him, Lloyd. It doesn't have to be everything. It just has to be enough. If you won't, then I will."

A small white wolf appeared beside them, his presence making Lloyd's trembling stop.

Genis fell over in surprise, though having being crouched down already he didn't have far to fall.

"Dalli. What are you doing here?"

The little spirit glanced at him.

"I told you the last time I we met that I check in on Lloyd now and then for his father, though in this instance I sensed his distress and came to see what the matter was." He turned to Lloyd. "Tell him. He's your best friend and don't you dare deny that thinking about what you might be makes you scared at times. If you're worried that he might let it slip to someone who shouldn't know, then I can put a geas on him if he agrees. Would that be alright with you, Genis?" The boy nodded. "Alright then, repeat after me. I, Genis Sage, agree to the geas of silence. Thus should I attempt to repeat, with intent or by accident, what I am to hear in this circle, the words will cease on my breath and not be uttered."

A flick of one of Dalli's ears and a pale circle of light was marked on the ground around them.

Genis took a deep breath and spoke. He'd never ever agreed to a geas before, and Raine had always warned him never to lest he be tricked into something. But Lloyd was his best friend, and so he was willing to risk it.

"I, Genis Sage, agree to the geas of silence. Thus should I attempt to repeat, with intent or by accident, what I am to hear in this circle, the words will cease on my breath and not be uttered."

He felt the shiver of power run over him as the geas took hold, after which Dalli looked at Lloyd once more.

"I've set the geas so that if the two of you are alone you can talk about this. You don't admit it Lloyd, but you _need_ someone like Genis to talk to. Vayla is more of an aunt, while what you need is a friend... And Noishe doesn't count. He may be your Bonded Partner, but he's still more like an uncle to you at your age... Now come on, spit it out before I do it for you. My circle means that no one outside of it can hear, so there's no need worry about someone besides him hearing it by accident."

Lloyd took a deep shuddering breath, letting it out again before turning his head to face his friend.

"What that fortune teller said... It was about the Prophecy of Restoration. Remember when Vayla told us that the other child who went missing when I did was her daughter Alysii? Well Alysii and I were born less than a minute apart, and because of that no one's been able to tell which of us it is..." He took another deep breath. "Unable to tell which of us is the Chosen of Restoration... The long awaited 'child born of the forest' that the Prophecy speaks of..." Genis gasped, sat in complete and utter shock. "That's why the two of us 'cloud the future', because whether or not there will be a new Giant Tree depends on one of us, we just don't know which." He dissembled a little now, taking advantage of Genis' continued stunned condition. "We don't know the time though. Don't know when it will actually happen. It could be soon, it could be a long time away. There's no way to know for sure. You having to be put under a geas is so that the Desians won't find out. We can't take _any_ risks. It's been kept so secret that right now only a handful of alurannai and a few trusted others know about Alysii and I... So much depends on us... That's why it scares me at times... Both not knowing if it's me, and knowing that if it is the fate of the world rests on my shoulders... Genis if it's me and I make some kinda of terrible mistake, or screw up, I'd be responsible for the destruction of the world..."

Staring for a few moments longer, Genis finally found his voice and got up, smiling down at him.

"Don't worry about it Lloyd. You're not alone! You can count on me to help no matter what! After all, what are best friends for?"

The circle of light around them faded, and Dalli disappeared again with his parting words drifting on the air.

"I think my work here is done... Remember, Genis, if you try to utter a word about this in front of anyone but Lloyd or I, you'll lose your voice for a few seconds so you can't let anything slip."

Genis laughed, pulling Lloyd to his feet.

"Don't worry, Dalli, I don't plan on saying anything." He grinned at Lloyd, who now had a very tentative smile on his own face. "C'mon, we'd better head back to the inn. Are we going to walk or are you going to take us over the rooftops again?"

This time Lloyd did grin.

"I dunno... Which do you want to do?"

---------------------------------------------------------

"And so did you two have a good time? Sandra said you haven't been back to the inn all day."

Raine gave the two boys a half wave as they came into the inn, as she continued to run a brush through Collette's hair. Seeing the small pile of what looked like large splinters of wood on the table next to them, Lloyd frowned.

"What are those doing there?"

Collette flushed pink as Raine cleared her throat.

"Collette had a little accident while we were being given a tour by members of the Church after arranging the service tomorrow. I'm just getting the pieces out of her hair... She uh... Well she tripped into the side of a merchant stall and put a hole through it." She shook her head in bemusement. "The stall owner was ecstatic, and promptly set up a little sign saying the hole was made by the Chosen of Mana herself... Some people..." She took a closer look at Genis and frowned. "You got a new kendama?"

Genis blinked.

"What?" He turned his torso to see around his back, unclipping the white oak weapon and unhooking it from his belt to stare at it. "Where the heck did this come from?"

Lloyd covered his mouth, trying to hide his grin and muffle his laughing. Genis turned to stare at him, as Vayla, who was sat just along from Collette, started laughing as well.

"So, Lloyd, you figured out why I gave you far more money that was needed for the supplies. Nice choice, and good job with the preservation and protection spells you put on it. I can sense them from here, nicely done indeed. That's made of white oak, isn't it?"

Lloyd lowered his hands, giving Genis an apologetic glance for the prank.

"Lightning struck white oak. I charmed the stall owner with my knowledge and effectively got it for free. I got that and a staff for Raine for three thousand gald. The staff on its own is worth that. I'll also add that both weapons are made from the same branch of white oak. I though since they're brother and sister that that was a nice touch." He pulled the staff out of his ver and tossed it to a startled Raine. "Here, catch."

She caught it one handed, being well used to having her staff tossed to her at a moments notice. Feeling the resonance of it, hefting it to check the weight, she smiled with pleasure.

"Never have I had a staff this fine. Thank you, Lloyd." She glanced at Vayla. "And thank _you_, since it was your money that bought it. I'm guessing the extra you gave him didn't come from what the Church supplied us with when we left Iselia."

She laughed and held up her hands in surrender.

"Guilty as charged. When I saw what a state Genis' kendama was in after the Seal of Fire, and your staff as well for that matter, I couldn't leave you two like that. Besides Genis' kendama was a standard child's toy, the one he has now is a proper caster's one."

The mage in question took a closer look at his knew weapon.

"It is?"

Lloyd brought the charred and battered old one out of his ver, holding it next to the new one for comparison.

"See, the new one is bigger and slightly heavier in proportion. It's also a lot studier, not that it'll break as long as the preservation and protection spells last, and those are easy to renew." Lloyd guided Genis over to the table where Raine and Collette were. "And here's the rest of your stuff." He proceeded to pull out the collection of books etc that Genis had bought."

Seeing the slight frown on Raine's face at seeing them, Vayla tapped the table to get her attention.

"I gave them two hundred gald pocket money each, to spend on what ever they liked. I hid it in one of the gald pouches I gave them, knowing Lloyd would notice eventually that that pouch was topped up with sand. I took Collette out just after Lloyd and Genis left, while you were busy upstairs with your notebooks, and took her to the 'ladies' market where I noticed she was eyeing up the ribbons an bracelets on the way into town. She spent her pocket money there." She looked around at the three youths. "You are, after all, still children. It's nice to let you have the chance to be children while we're in a town. There's no time for it really out on the road."

It was at that moment that Sandra poked her head out of the kitchen door.

"Super's almost ready if you'd like to take a seat."

That effectively brought an end to that conversation, and not long after the meal was finished they all went to bed to be ready for the service tomorrow.

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The people of an entire city gathered along the shore, giving the crystal blue waters of the Triet Oasis a border made up of countless colours. The people stood in silence, watching in awe as out on the waters themselves, the Chosen of Mana climbed up onto a raised plinth upon the small boat that had carried her there. Pink and gold crystal wings glittering in the sun, she stood there dressed in her usual blue trimmed white, but this time with the formal long white and gold tabard of the Chosen over the top. The same one her mother had worn for her wedding, brought with her on this journey for events such as this. Standing there on the boat, the faint breeze stirring her long blond hair, she lifted her voice up, letting it carry over the calm waters to the people as she began the service with the traditional question and affirmation.

"The sun rises, a new dawn, the light of Martel comes again. Do you praise this new day?"

En mass the people responded, long familiarity with the forms of the Prayer Day service, answering in perfect unison to sound like a single thunderous voice calling out confirmation across the desert city.

"We praise this new day."

Lifting her arms up, Collette spoke again.

"The light of life, bringer of serene peace. Do you praise the path the Goddess puts before us on this day?"

"With gratitude to the Goddess, we do."

Collette smiled, a smile of blessings upon all things and all people.

"Forward like the path of the sun, never to hesitate or turn back. Will you continue to follow that path?"

As one the people called out.

"In the name of the Goddess Martel, we will!"

She stood there, the people's hope, their light, and their promise of a better future.

"Praise to the Goddess Martel! Let us lift our voices in song, so that in her slumber she may hear our adoration!"

The songs of praise began, the voices of an entire city lifting to the heavens together... Here on the shores of Triet Oasis... beneath the dazzling light of the sun...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: He he, I really got my teeth into this one. I didn't realise it was so long until I did a word count, 7415 words . I'll admit I got quite a bit of inspiration for this chapter from playing Assassin's Creed on the PS3. The souk I based off the ones in the game, and the rooftop running... well in the game free running the roofs with 30 city guard in pursuit is great fun, so I had to add a little nod in that direction. Also, an Inta is 50 gald, and a Deic is 10, and lastly no Genis will not be let in on the Plan. He will remain as oblivious to the full truth as Raine and Collete are. Happy reading :D**


	17. Is there Supposed…

**Alaia Skyhawk: He he, and here I though the last one was going to be pretty short. This one probably will be though since not a huge amount of stuff is going on in it.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 17: Is there supposed to be Sand on the Icing?

-

It was quiet here, so peaceful. In all the life she could remember she could think of no place where she had ever felt truly safe. She'd always had to live on the edge, what with being a foundling and all. She'd always had to prove herself, over and over, never allowed to drop her guard lest someone try to use that moment against her. Here though... Here she was alone, and there was no need to remain so guarded. Each night she spent here she felt that barrier of defensiveness fall lower and lower, and each night for some reason she always felt safer than ever... As if there was someone watching over her as she slept.

Sitting there, watching the sun rise, she smiled. Yes, for the first time she could remember, she felt truly yet strangely at home...

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"I'll get you for that! Get back here!!!"

Genis sprinted after a grinning Lloyd who had just dunked him in the oasis they were stopping at for the rest of the day to rest, holding up his new kendama with revenge intended. They were now four weeks out from Triet Oasis, with only about two weeks of walking to go to reach the entrance of the Ossa Trail, the trade route over the mountains. Here however, they were relaxing for now as a certain silver haired school teacher remained oblivious to what her three students had planned for her.

Glancing at the two as they ran past her, Vayla raised an eyebrow before giving them a longer stare.

"Genis, it's only water and in this heat you're clothes will dry in about ten minutes. Lloyd, stop teasing him and sit down before your having him chase you gives him heatstroke. Genis, if you even think of casting a spell to retaliate I'll put Allied Sanctuary on you both. Now settle down."

The two boys came to a stop, before sighing and speaking in unison.

"Yes, Vayla..."

Collette giggled beside Raine, who was going through a history book with her after she'd asked her to give her a lesson on the Ossa Trail. She hadn't really wanted a lesson, but she was the one that offered to keep the half-elven woman busy. Looking at her two friends, she gave them a verbal prod to get back to what _they_ had said _they'd_ do.

"Isn't there something else you can do rather than run around shouting at each other? I'm trying to listen to the Professor and you're so loud you're making it hard to hear what she's saying properly." The girl turned back to the book, glancing up at her tutor. "So when was the Ossa Trail first opened?"

As the two chastised boys slunk off back towards the nearby pool of water, Raine smiled and pointed to a paragraph in the book.

"It's said that a group of comrades were the first to ever traverse those mountains on foot. A rather more adventurous wandering merchant followed them, marking the route as he went. It's believed that that first group perished along the way, close to the end, for the merchant found a place where part of the path had collapsed and a large area of scree slope below it disturbed with clouds of dust still rising. He wasn't that far behind them, and he could see no sign of them further along the rock ledge they were following, which was visible for miles. That collapse was the reason for him returning at a later time to mark a safer route along the floor of that valley, going around the various cracks and ravines that scarred its bottom. That part of the Ossa Trail has since been called The Path of Departed Comrades, in honour of those travellers he'd followed. It's said he never once took credit for the initial first walk of that trail, instead giving it all to those he followed. He never had to, no one would have known, but he was too honourable and so was greatly respected after that for his honesty. Since that time extensive work has been done to the trail over the millennia, with a large amount of the scree from the slope having been used to fill in the ravines on that valley floor to allow a proper road at that part of the mountain crossing. But even so, that place will always be named after those travellers that lost their lives there."

Vayla did her best not to twitch in response to Raine's telling of the lesson. She and her companions had known about the merchant following them back then, and had slowed their pace deliberately to allow him to keep up in hope of making sure he made it through too. They'd learned some years later about him declaring the route, and naming that part after them. The group had traversed the last part of the ledge so fast after Yuan had fallen from it that it stood as no surprise the merchant had lost sight of them. Since then they had never found the reason to correct the misconception on his part. There was just no real need to.

Collette touched the part of the map in the book that was marked 'Path of Departed Comrades'

"I'll have to make sure to leave a prayer for them then, when we reach that part of the trail. If it weren't for their bravery in being the first to try that path then a very important route might not have been discovered."

Raine nodded.

"Yes, we'll all do that I think. The bravery of those in the past should always be remembered for as long as it can."

Turning the page, Raine continued the lesson with Collette doing her best to stay interested. Hopefully it wouldn't take her two friends too long to finish setting things up.

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"Paper streamers?"

"Check."

"Cushions swiped from Vayla's ver while she was asleep?"

"Check."

"Awning and wind break made from blankets also swiped from Vayla's ver?"

"Check."

"Party food Sandra helped us make?"

"Check."

"Presents from me, you, and Collette?"

"Check."

"Cake?"

Lloyd ran a finger over the surface of his ver, checking the cake they'd made while still in Triet was still in there.

"Check... Everything's set and accounted for... So which of us is going to go get Raine and the others?"

The two boys were stood under a blanket strung between four desert palm trees, a collection of large slouch cushions put in the shade underneath it around a clutter of woven grass platters arrayed with various finger foods. A blanket wind break around the back of it stopped the wind blowing sand onto the food, and the entire structure was draped with multicoloured paper streamers the two of them had made with paper bought from the souk back in Triet with some of their pocket money.

Genis gave it a final appraisal, eyes lingering on the cushions.

"I still don't know how you knew Vayla had these cushions..."

Lloyd chuckled.

"My myrta kept some in her ver, but I know she originally got the idea from Vayla. Stands to reason Vayla would still have cushions in her ver. She never throws out something useful... Makes me glad we never told Raine that the tents and camp beds we've been using are the ones Vayla, my ata, and their friends used back when they were travelling around keeping an eye on things during the war."

Genis nodded in definite agreement, thinking back to how Raine had gone nuts at the entrance to the Seal of Fire.

"Yeah... So shall I go get the others or do you want to? I'm fine either way."

In answer Lloyd walked off with a wave in the direction of where the others had parked themselves in the shade, leaving Genis to keep an eye on the things. A couple of minutes later a exclaiming blindfolded Raine being led by Lloyd and Collette came into view, followed by a rather puzzled Vayla and a very smug Noishe... After all a surprise party has been his idea.

The alurannai woman took one look at the set up and broke into a grin, not unhappy at the least when she recognised the cushions from her ver. She appreciated the effort the youths had put into this, including the not inconsiderable task of swiping things from her ver while she slept without waking her up.

"So... This is what you've been up to... I presume Sandra helped, since those are clearly her work."

She pointed to the platters under the food, getting grins from Lloyd, Genis, and Collette in response.

Raine flailed at her blindfold, stopped automatically from removing it by Lloyd who being as strong as he was had no trouble preventing her from removing it.

"What in the name of the Goddess is going on?! Let go of me this instan... Oh!" Once she started talking a nod of agreement between the three conspirators signalled Lloyd to reach up and pull the blindfold off Raine who immediately stared at the awning, cushions and food. "What?"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RAINE!"

She looked around startled at the three youths as they chorused those words and pulled her over to sit her down on the middle most cushion, the rest of the group arraying themselves on the rest.

Genis picked up the present he'd gotten her, pushing it under her nose so close she almost went cross-eyed.

"I know we're a few days late, but did you really think we'd forget? When Vayla said we were close to an oasis we decided to wait since we knew it would be nicer here... Happy twenty-fifth birthday, Sis."

Raine numbly took hold of the brown paper wrapped present, blinking a little from surprise.

"I..." She broke into a smile and hugged him. "Thank you, thank you all."

Lloyd glanced at the present, pointing at it as he met her eyes.

"So are you going to open it? We don't touch any of that lovely food before you've opened all your presents..."

In the minutes that followed Raine found herself to be the new possessor of a bracelet from the 'ladies' market back in the City, a lovely carved wooden book rest made to sit on a table so she could reference a book without having to struggle to keep hold of it and write at the same time, and a comprehensive collection of pencils in different weights along with a few coloured ones for making sketches in her notebook. Examining them all, she smiled brightly.

"These are all wonderful. Thank you." She glanced around at the faces, including one Protozoan who was eyeing the food and trying not to drool. "I guess this means the 'grubs up' as they say."

No further prompting was needed and seconds later they were all helping themselves to the food which was none the worse for being packed into Lloyd's ver where the innate preservation spells had kept it fresh. It took less than ten minutes for them to have emptied the platters, even Collette had actually managed to eat a couple of mouthfuls, the joy of the day perhaps letting her own will override the control her spell bound Cruxis Crystal had on her body just a little.

The food gone, it was time for the finale, and with a flourish Lloyd brought the carefully baked and iced cake out of his ver... However the first words out of his mouth were not what you'd expect.

"...Is there _supposed_ to be sand on the icing? _That_ wasn't there when we packed it..."

Lloyd and Genis looking at each other in complete puzzlement, as the rest of the group burst out laughing. Sprinkling of sand or not, after that the cake was quickly devoured and Collette declared they should play some party games. Soon this small oasis on the trade route from Triet Oasis to the Ossa Trail rang with the group's laughter and shouts, as a vigorous game of charades sprang up beneath the awning...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Like I said, short... but fun. :D**


	18. Ossa Trail

**Alaia Skyhawk: Hehehehehehehehehehe... (evil grin)**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 18: Ossa Trail

-

The desert fell away behind them, their footsteps taking them up this first slope of the Ossa Trail. The sun was setting behind them, but not bright like fire as you would expect, but dull with the sky borne veils of wind whipped sand that were being stirred up by the storm many miles behind them. The spring storms, they hadn't gotten here in time, and so they would have to put up with repeated sprayings of storm carried sand all the way across the mountains. They'd just packed away their desert gear, returning to wearing their normal clothing. One thing that hadn't been packed away though were three of the head wraps. Vayla, Raine, and Collette all wearing them to stop sand getting in their hair, something all three females detested. Lloyd and Genis weren't bothered. Lloyd's hair being too short for sand to really settle in it, and Genis being used to getting covered in grit from three years of his spell practice sending up clouds of dirt back in his practice field at Iselia. Clouds that all too often were send in his direction by an errant gust of wind

Walking up the first hill, Lloyd paused for a moment, looking back at the desert they were now leaving.

_A pity I couldn't go visit you, Inanu Yuan. It would have been fun to see you, Botta, and Mika again properly. To have a chance to talk about how things have been for us the past thirteen years. I guess I'll just have to wait a while longer. I hope you're doing well, whatever it is you're up to at the moment._

Facing the trail rising before him once more, Lloyd set off again... Following this trail first taken by his father and his companions all those many years ago.

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A finger tapped the surface of the desk, storm grey eyes staring into the distance as the lightning mage mulled over the latest message just received from the jiisumura in the area near the entrance to the Ossa Trail. The group containing the Chosen had been spotted ascending the first section of the trail, walking with some haste as they clearly looked for a suitable place to camp where sheltering from the approaching sand storm would be easier. The spring storms were a result of the splitting of the worlds, the imbalance of The Sylph's influence being trapped in just one half of the original whole meaning that pent up force had to be expended somewhere. The only place that could be done with the minimum of disturbance elsewhere was the Triet Desert. The winds would howl in from the west, throwing their might into the teeth of the Southern Ossa Mountains where the force would be expended against its elemental opposite. Undine had balanced her force by increasing the number of geysers on her island, Efreet by creating a string of volcanic islands far far to the south to avoid causing tidal waves to harm the shores of the inhabited continents, and Luna and Aska merely expended their pent up force as a myriad of shooting stars that would streak across the sky at certain times of the year. Springtime in the Desert was one of them. The dazzling lights shooting high above the dunes, warning the people living there that the storms were coming.

Yuan sighed. So many compromises had been made by the Greater Summon Spirits, the now twisted Hourglass System forcing them to find new ways of keeping their individual elements in balance. It hadn't helped that the separating of the worlds had caused the traditional presence of an element in the Temple dedicated to its opposite to end. Those stores of opposing mana had been thrown back to the temples from which they had come, forcing the Summon Spirits to find a way to deal with it. Their initial anger had provided the solution purely by accident, that rage creating the elementals, which in turn now housed the displaced power. Thus for now, until the day came the worlds were reunited once more, the elementals would haunt the Seals, and in turn also protect them from intruders.

"So much suffering. So much compromise... How thankful I am that at long last we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. All we have to do is be careful not to bring that tunnel crashing down on us." He picked up the message from the jiisumura, one of a handful that had now been informed of what was going on. Slowly, over the course of the coming events, more and more of the Alurannai would be told of what was going on. He picked up another report, or rather a letter. It was from Kratos, a hastily scrawled note handed to a jiisumura upon his leaving the Ice Temple three weeks previous. Five weeks, it had taken him five weeks to install the Ice Seal Backups, a long time to be sure, but he was determined to take no chances of being detected. As soon as he was done he'd gone through the Sentinels to the Seal of Lightning, the Seal that Krishka had discreetly put a barrier over to hold Volt in check while Kratos did the installation. Something had happened ten years previous, causing Volt to fly into a rage. Since then his temple had become a no go area, forcing Krishka to act in at least that minimal way to ensure the continuation of the Plan. Yuan's eyes lingered on the note. "Swift journey and good luck, my friend. Rather you than me installing those things. My patience would never have lasted one week, never mind five... Five weeks per seal... That means another eight months or so before you'll have done the other seven. It's at times like this that I can really tell you're technically a plant, for only a plant could have _that_ level of patience for such a repetitive and painstaking task."

Setting the letter aside, he finally turned to the small pile of reports in his in tray. It was only day to day matters, the running of the Renegades' two bases, but it was something to do and it gave him something to think about other than things he could do nothing about right now, and which weren't his problem. Sighing again, he picked up the first, glancing once at the picture on his desk. A picture of him with a wide smile on his face, and a laughing little boy sat on his lap...

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The haunting sound of an ocarina floated on the wind over the campsite, causing heads to turn as the harriers looked up to where their leader, Third Mika, sat in the branches of a tree with her spirit partner Fiuras perched on her shoulder. They were south of Luin, just a little ways away from the southern shore of Lake Sinoa, the great lake that dominated the centre of the Asgard Plains. After the 'attack' on the Martel Temple, which she had helped to lead, Mika had been taken through the Sentinels back to the Asgard Continent where her squad was waiting for her. In the weeks since then they had kept their heads down to make sure that an appropriate amount of time had passed to account for amount that would have been needed for Mika to travel that distance using an Aiertrin, to ensure that Cruxis would continue have no reason to suspect the Alurannai being involved with the Renegades. Far from spending that time on the road as Cruxis would think, she had in fact spent it with her squad in what was basically R and R out in the field. All they'd had to do was stay out of sight, beyond that they'd been free to do as they wanted. Kaleian was no longer with them, having moved on to a new assignment over in Tethe'alla five years previous, that didn't mean the games of dodge ball had stopped though... Far from it they'd been playing the game more often now since they no longer had to compete against the Crystal User, though by the time he'd left he was only winning eighty percent of the matches, and it was taking him far longer to hit his opponents with a ball. Matches with him vs. the thirty-six Harriers no longer took just thirty seconds or so, when he'd left they never lasted less than ten minutes. That innocent game had proven extremely beneficial to the squad, with ten minute bouts spent dodging 'attacks' from the oldest and most experienced Crystal User alive. Kaleian could likely pull a stalemate with an alurannai in a fight, when an alurannai could fight cruxis angels ten to one and win with relative ease. For the Harriers the skill, agility, and endurance that game had taught them meant that should the event of all those years ago, when four angels had attacked Mika and Harrier One on the cliffs north of the Hima mountains, were to happen again now, she had no doubt there wouldn't even be a single casualty, and the angels would have been dead in probably less than a minute. Her summoning had improved immensely as well, with her regularly using the merging technique with Fiuras to build up her mana reserves and endurance. She could hold it now for ten minutes and walk away afterwards, twenty minutes and have to rest for a full day, or close to an hour if she needed to, though it would make her pass out and be drained of energy for a couple of weeks like she'd been after that attack at the cliffs. Here and now, the Harriers were on their last week of rest before they would move out. Once on the move they would roam the Asgard Plains, with no fixed route or plan. They would ambush Desians should they cross paths with them, but in general they would make what few sightings of them they would allow, look like they were haunting the area in wait of the Chosen coming this way. Just as Yggdrasil would expect the Renegades to do if they were intending to try take the Chosen's life.

The melody came to its end, Mika lowering her cherished ocarina, the one that had brought Fiuras to her. Looking at the camp below her, she smiled before gazing up at the sky.

_You did good, Lloyd, back at the Martel Temple. You sure look a lot like your old man, I nearly died of fright when I first saw you until I realised the hair was wrong and that you weren't Kratos. Good luck, Lloyd, and I hope you guys find Alysii soon. Vayla just hasn't been the same since she went missing, and the few times I visited Nae Shiu it felt almost like a ghost town._

She sighed.

_I can't wait until this nightmare is over... Lloyd, I wish you and Alysii all the luck in the worlds. If you ever need help, I'm here, and so are the Harriers..._

Lifting her ocarina to her lips again, Fiuras snuggling against her ear, Mika began to play once more... The haunting melody floating on the breeze...

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Lloyd twitched, rolling over in his sleeping bag to look up at the spelled canvas roof of his and Genis' tent. They were three days into the week or so it would take them to traverse the Ossa Trail, and were now past the highest of the mountains and nearing the section known as The Path of Departed Comrades. Just another half a day, and they would reach the steep slope leading down into that valley, and then follow the road along its southern edge, on the opposite side from the remains of the scree slope, until they reached the plateau that was the last stretch before the final descent which would take them at last into the Ossa Coastal Region.

Lying there, Lloyd tried to figure out what had woken him. The day had been a normal one, bar the one instance where Vayla had suddenly stopped and searched their surroundings with her eyes. She'd shrugged it off after a minute or so, when it became clear there was no threat in their vicinity. It didn't help though that the near constant sand storm blasting into the mountains from the desert caused a faint but ever present brush of falling sand grains against rock that resounded in his and Vayla's very sensitive ears. He could hear that tiny amount of sand on the wind now, rasping against the canvas, just as it had rasped against the head wraps Raine, Vayla, and Collette were still wearing to keep said sand out of their hair. The constant dust had gotten so bad that they'd covered their mouths and noses as they had done when travelling in the desert itself. Even he and Genis had tied cloth over theirs in the end, though they still didn't bother with the full head gear. The mountains were almost ghostly at the moment, with dust giving them a perpetual twilight feel. Maybe that was what had put him on edge, that feeling that there might be something hiding in those dust created shadows.

He sighed, and rolled over again, trying to sleep, without even Alysii's dreaming to keep him company.

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A tiny voice hissed.

"_Hey! Wake up! I think it's them!_"

The figure in the sleeping bag flinched, jolting awake and rolling to face the small creature that had spoken, mumbling in a sleepy female voice.

"Huh? What, Corrine?"

Corrine, a small fox-like creature with a trio of blue-green tails came a few steps closer, just visible in the sand obscured moonlight.

"Our target! I watched the trail like you asked me to, and there's a group camped just along the way! A boy mage of about twelve years, another boy, who looks to be in his late teens, who's a twin blade swordsman, and three women. One with a staff, one with a glaive, and a younger sounding one that didn't appear to be carrying any weapons, dressed in blue trimmed white! All three women are wearing head wraps. I heard one of them grumbling about the 'stupid sand storms'. I think they're wearing them to keep the sand out of their hair. The boys don't seem to be that bothered by it. They've also got a really big green and white dog thing with them."

The woman sat up in her sleeping bag, sliding out of it.

"That sounds like our target's escort alright. How can the Church here be so stupid as to send messenger birds out carrying describing the Chosen's group? Every town we passed through a month after the appearance of the Tower was buzzing with talk about them. Are they really so naive as to believe it's safe to do that? Sure, some hot shot sounding female representative supposedly from a lost race is escorting her. Sounds more like to me they're trying to discourage the Desians from making a move against the Chosen... Well it doesn't fool me. Within a month of the Oracle they'd spread the word the Chosen was on her way to all of Sylvarant... A month from now, I'll make sure they've spread the word of her death..." In the darkness the young woman pulled something out of a bag and slipped it on, before wrapping a length of dark cloth around her head. A belt could be heard fastening, followed by the faint hiss of steel in sheath as she checked her weapons. "Let's get to the ambush point we picked. I'll sleep there. Wake me an hour before the sun crests the mountaintops."

She ran into the darkness, silent as a shadow, the little fox following close behind her.

"You got it, Sheena..."

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Another day... Another day just like the last, with sand tainted wind whistling through the rocks around them. Vayla was grumbling to herself, tightening her head wrap every five minutes it seemed. Raine was little better, with her seeming to fidget with hers every ten. Collette was the only one who had put hers on and left it alone, but that was likely due to the fact that she was being distracted by a chattering Genis who wanted to talk about the pair of mountain eagles they'd seen soaring over the trail the day before.

Walking along the trail, heading towards where they could see it start to slope down the side of the mountain to the Path of Departed Comrades, Lloyd slowed his step and started to search the cliffs either side of them. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, bringing him to a complete stop.

"Guys... something's not ri..."

"Halt!" They all looked up and to their right, to a shadow just visible in the lea of a boulder on the cliff top. "Is the Chosen of Mana among you?"

Lloyd and Vayla both reached out with their senses, but found the figure to be strangely fogged out. A damping spell, used to disguise the figure's presence. They both reached for their weapons just as Collette did the most stupid thing possible in this situation... Opened her big mouth.

"Oh, that's me!"

The shadow came into full view, dressed head to toe in black with only a pair of brown eyes visible. The woman pulled out a pair of long cards inscribed with runes from a dagger laden belt, holding them in a way that made it clear they were weapons.

"Then prepare to die!"

The assassin leapt from the top of the cliff, seeming to slide down the rock to land and dart towards the startled Collette without losing the slightest bit of speed.

Lloyd threw himself in front of Collette as the assassin raced through the grass between the cliff and the path.

"I won't let you hurt her!"

His eyes met those of the assassin, a split second later causing her to hesitate. The next second this assassin in black stumbled over something in the long grass, her brown eyes going wide with surprise above the cloth that obscured the rest of her face. There was a metallic squeal of rusty hinges and the next second the assassin plummeted out of sight with a wail of shock.

Blinking in surprised, Lloyd jogged over to the spot and found himself looking down into a square shaft with a now open metal hatch at the top of it.

Vayla came over, looking into it as well.

"Maintenance passage. Originally built when they were improving the trail, but later used as an emergency air shaft for the mines that line the southern side of the Path of Departed Comrades." She squinted, into the darkness, before dropping a stone into the shaft and listening for it hitting the bottom. "It's a little over ten metres deep, which means our little assassin is likely still alive. A good thing there's no ladder in i..."

There was a rustle of cloth and the hiss of steel before something rushed up the shaft rebounding from one side to the other. The next instant the assassin came into view with a dagger drawn. There was another metallic squeal and suddenly the hatch closed in her once again wide eyed face.

"Ahhh!"

CLANG!

They all winced in sympathy as the metal hatch rang with the impact between the assassin and its underside. Genis, who was by the operating lever in the grass having walked over to take a look at it, gave them a thumbs up.

Lloyd returned it.

"Nice one, Genis."

The mage grinned back, as Vayla crouched down and set her right ear to the hatch. A few seconds later she got up and broke into steady run.

"Get moving! She's got up and is running down the passage. That thing leads to the mines that line the road! We need to move to better ground!"

The group ran after her, racing down the slope into the valley of The Path of Departed Comrades, not even slowing when Collette stumbled and Lloyd picked her up to toss her onto Noishe's back. Reaching the bottom of the slope, they passed a walled off mine entrance which suddenly trembled shedding a cloud of dust.

Raine gasped as she felt the twist of mana occur behind that wall.

"She's using some kind of magic to try and force her way out! Keep running! We need safer ground if we're to fight her! It's too easy for someone to get around us here!"

They kept running, sprinting past another old entrance filled with blocks of worked stone, stone that shook as the assassin kept pace with them from within the mines riddling the cliffs.

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The glowing card she held lit the way, the creature it had conjured slamming into the wall of stone. When a single hit didn't break through she spun and headed further down the mine passage, using one of the old cart rails as a smooth running surface for the maximum speed as her minion followed her in the darkness. She knew that stopping to smash that wall could lose her her target, she had to keep moving. Running down the rail as she had been trained to run along tree branches, she spotted the next junction and with a shouted command sent her mana constructed creature slamming into the next blocked entrance. This one didn't give way either, and so the race through the darkness continued. On and on she ran, her breath echoing back off the stone walls of the mine, each entrance barred with stone that resisted the attack of her minion. Finally a light of triumph came to those barely visible brown eyes, when they alighted upon an entrance up ahead... An entrance through which a multitude of rays of light pierced...

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They kept going, as it seemed that every time they passed an old blocked entrance it would shudder as something pounded it from behind. The assassin was keeping pace with them even from within the confinement of the old mines. The trees lining that side of the road grew thicker the further they went, as the age of the interconnecting mines increased.

Gasping for breath as she ran beside a Protozoan that now carried both of the youngest members of the group, Raine shook her head in disbelief.

"This is insane! How fast can that assassin run?"

Lloyd, who was running along on Noishe's other side, glanced over the Arshis' back at her.

"I'd say fast."

A voice sounded from ahead of them, filled with triumph.

"That's far enough!"

The group skidded to a halt and turned to look towards the cliff face. There in the gloom beyond one of the trees, several rotting planks were flung outwards from the rock face by clawed arm. A strange legless bird creature that floated above the ground emerged from the new opening. Behind it holding a glowing card was the assassin, tufts of black hair showing around the top edge of her now dishelved head wrapping. Brown eyes fierce over the concealing layer below them.

Vayla's eyes narrowed as she considered the new threat the assassin has seemingly conjured using the card.

_A Guardian, and by the symbols on the crest wheel on it's back I'd say it's a Samurai Elemental. That would mean she's from Mizuho... So _she's_ the one that Yuan had no choice but to let Tethe'alla send. He said Tethe'alla's assassin might give us a few surprises, given how assured the King and the Pope had been when he'd given them directions to the Otherworldly Gate and instructions on the conditions under which the doorway between worlds would open. I guess he was right, this kind of thing is what he was suspecting._

She turned to the rest of the group.

"Leave this to me... Raine, cast what ever support spells you think are needed. Collette, just stay behind her. Lloyd, Genis, you two keep Raine from getting her spells disrupted." She unhooked her glaive from the harness under her reta and took a step towards the assassin. "If you think that thing has a chance against me you're sadly mistaken."

The assassin tucked the glowing card into her belt, pulled out the two she had held as weapons during their first failed encounter, and then she launched herself at Vayla.

"You may talk tough, but don't _ever _underestimate me!"

Vayla swung her glaive, the blade clashing with the Guardian's claws before she thrust the foot of the stave into the assassin's gut, knocking the wind out of her. As the girl stumbled backwards a gasped command flew from her lips, it was the only warning Vayla got to the spell the Guardian threw at her. With a flap of her wings she flung herself to the side, barely avoiding the waves of lava that engulfed where she had been a moment before. In the blink of an eye she muttered a counter spell and shouted out.

"ICE TORNADO!" The Guardian howled as its elemental opposite tore into it. When the spell faded the creature floated much lower to the ground, clearly on the verge of failing all together. Vayla charged at the assassin again. "A Guardian is only as strong as the one who conjures it. Whoever chose you for this task clearly overestimated your abilities."

With startling agility, the assassin leapt over the attacking Vayla, taking up a casting stance the moment she landed.

"I'm not done yet... _A tie of trust and friendship... Two souls sharing a promise... Let's go, Corrine!_"

Vayla had turned, the butt of her glaive swinging up to strike the assassin under the chin and knock her out. The blow was just about to hit when something landed on her head and clawed at her as crackles of power threw her off balance. The glaive snagged the side of the assassin's head wrap as Vayla let go with one hand to pull what she realised was a summon spirit off her head. As both their coverings of cloth pulled free, the rest of the group gasped in shock.

Vayla froze, her eyes wide in disbelief... disbelief that turned hope as a name passed her lips.

"...Alysii..."

The assassin took a step back, the nearby Guardian vanishing as her control over it broke. It was as if she was looking into a mirror, brown eyes surrounded by black hair in a face startlingly like her own but for the green tendrils that framed it.

Her voice shook as she backed up further in denial.

"My name is Sheena Fujibayashi! I don't know you!" Vayla took a step forward, reaching out as the young woman turned and fled, cloaked by a burst of smoke from a thrown pellet. "Stay away from me!"

Vayla's voice cracked with despair as she called out after the fleeing girl, the girl who in her denial had dropped whatever illusionary presence that had concealed her... Concealed her so well that at first glance neither she nor Lloyd had sensed who she was.

"_Alysii! Wait!_" She dropped to her knees and began to sob. "Alysii..."

The group looked on as her tears fell into the dust, not sure what to make of this unexpected meeting... of mother and daughter...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: MUAHAHAHAHA! A lot of you were suspecting it, and now you know! Alysii IS Sheena! (Grins) I've had this planned since I first started the trilogy. In the game Sheena has absolutely no back story beyond her being found in Gaorachia, it was just too tempting a chance to pass up. :D**


	19. Moment of Guilt

**Alaia Skyhawk: (Dances) I am SO enjoying this!**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 19: Moment of Guilt

-

As Vayla knelt there, crying, the rest of them looked on at a total loss as to what to say. What could you say to someone, who had lived thirteen years not knowing where their child was, only to meet that child again in a situation like this? Alysii Targathyr, showing up on this day as an assassin sent to kill the Chosen of Sylvarant...

Making a decision, Lloyd walked over to Vayla. He picked up the glaive from where is had been dropped, putting it in his ver for now, before unceremoniously picking her up and carrying her, still sobbing, along the road towards the Ossa Plateau.

"There's no point in sitting here... We should just keep moving for now..."

Not one of them said anything. The hard look in Lloyd's eyes forbade it. Cradling Vayla as she sobbed into the shoulder of his reta, Lloyd didn't so much as glance back at where his crèche mate had been moments before. He knew, deep down, she would come back.

The trek was silent, not a word uttered. No one even said anything when they passed the roadside monolith that pointed towards a clear fracture in a ledge running across the cliffs on the north side of the valley, the place where that long dead merchant had believed those he'd followed into these mountains to have perished. The day wore on, Lloyd stopping long enough for Genis and Raine to eat something, and Collette to pretend to, though he, Vayla, and Noishe ate nothing. Even when the sun began to set he kept walking, Noishe following with his two riders, Raine therefore forced to continue as well. It was near pitch dark when he finally did stop, in the middle of a dense cluster of trees right on the edge of the plateau.

He put Vayla down, collected a few branches, and set them alight in the middle of the clearing, still without saying a single word. Now thoroughly unnerved, Genis, Raine, and Collette began to make the evening meal once Lloyd had pulled out some food and the cooking equipment from his ver. Then, without looking her in the eye, he took hold of Vayla's wrist and removed the tents and everyone's bags from hers.

As he carried what he'd taken off to one side and began to set it up, Vayla pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around them, pain filled tear reddened eyes staring blankly ahead.

She was like a ghost, a mere shadow of the vibrant woman that had led them safely to the Seal of Fire and also safely to this place in the mountains. It was like she wasn't even aware they were there, she was so completely locked away within herself that her eyes seemed almost dead of all hope or happiness.

Wanting to do something, anything, to bring her out of it. Collette reached out tentatively and touched the alurannai woman's arm.

"Vayla...?"

A sigh came from Lloyd, who was still setting up the tents.

"You're wasting your time... You'll never get a response out of her when she's like this. Think of her as just having had an emotional overload. Right now she's blanked out all of her feelings because it was just too much for her to deal with. Give her some time to get the events straight in her head and the rest will follow... Just leave her be..."

It was then that they noticed that Lloyd too was unnaturally subdued, though nowhere near as bad as Vayla. His tone was flat, but at least he was moving around, doing things, and at least talking a little. The three of them had been told many weeks back that the Alurannai could go without food, air, or sleep if needed, and that they could turn off or dampen down their perception of temperature... But they'd never been told the Alurannai could turn off or dampen their emotions in the same way. Vayla and Lloyd had seemed a little odd at first when considered that way, but now they seemed completely alien. For people who'd never seen such a thing before, it was frightening.

Lloyd looked up, glancing over at them as if sensing they were becoming more than just unnerved. Taking a deep breath, he forced back the veil of unfeeling he'd cast over himself, the full impact of his current emotional turmoil sending him to his knees. Hot tears fell into the dust, as he doubled up shuddering from the emotional backlash. Several minutes later he got up, still shaking, and started finishing setting up the tents. He was trying to hold one tent peg steady to hammer it into the ground, but the tremors in his hand wouldn't let him.

A small hand came into view, taking hold of the peg and removing the mallet from his grip. Carefully and quickly, Genis banged the peg into the ground before looking up at his friend and putting a hand on his arm.

"Sorry for acting like that. We're just a bit freaked out by everything right now. I've never seen someone... switch off... like that before. I didn't stop to think how bad you must have been feeling to do that... Sorry."

Taking another deep breath, not taking notice of Raine and Collette who were watching from by the campfire, Lloyd managed a small smile for his friend.

"Alurannai are adapted in the extreme to survive, since back when the Giant Tree was alive, if an alurannai suffered an unnatural death it would actually _hurt_ the Tree. Sometimes emotions can lead to mistakes, life costing mistakes, so over time my people developed an instinctive reaction to extreme emotion. If it might get in the way of survival, we either damp down on it or shut it out altogether..." He glanced at Vayla. "But on the reverse side of it you can see that sometimes an alurannai can shut their emotions out so far that they effectively become immobile. She'll react in self defence if attacked, but apart from that she'll sit there unless someone she trusts makes her move... Right now she's trying to deal with thirteen years worth of pent up worry, the joy of finding Alysii, and the sheer depression of Alysii's rejection. It doesn't matter that she consciously knows Alysii has no memory of her at the moment, that being the reason for her running away, the impact of that moment just completely overrode all logic and she shut down under the stress."

Hearing the full explanation, Raine and Collette flinched, before staring at the ground rather guiltily.

"I think _we_ need to apologise as well." Raine got up, brushing a few stray bits of grass from her orange over robe. "I myself should certainly know better. I faced discrimination in the past before arriving in Iselia, feared because I was different... Just now I very nearly did the same thing to you and Vayla." She sighed. "People are what they are born, and so should not be treated differently because of their being of a different race... So again, I apologise."

Lloyd managed a wider smile this time.

"Thanks, Professor. Apology accepted... Now help me get the rest of these tents up while Genis cooks supper."

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Sheena slammed her hand into the ground as she desperately tried to make sense of what had just happened. Now back in their tiny camp, Corrine looked on with his trio of blue-green tails fluttering in concern as his partner vented her feelings.

"How did she know my real name? How can someone from a different world know a name that only me and my Grandpa know? ...And the way she stared at me... I just don't get it! Why do I look like her?!"

Corrine inched forward, his expression patient as he voiced what was obvious to him after what he'd just witnessed.

"Sheena, that woman had a mana signature very similar to yours. If you add the fact that you look like her, to her knowing your real name, it should be fairly obvious why she acted like that. After all, if you'd spent thirteen years wondering what happened to your child you'd act the same w..."

Sheena... Alysii... clenched her fists as she lifted her tear stained face to the skies and shrieked.

"Why?!! Why did it have to happen like this?!! I have to kill the Chosen to save Tethe'alla! But if that woman is really my mother I'll have to fight her to even get near the girl!" She pounded her fists against the ground again. "...Why?"

Corrine snuggled up next to her, doing his best to comfort his friend.

"Maybe you could talk to her. Maybe there's a way for us to work this out so both worlds can be helped. Things are really bad over here for these people, so is it really right for us to make them suffer more just so Tethe'alla can stay exactly as it is? Besides, Sheena, if she really is your mother then you're Alurannai... You can't abandon Sylvarant _or _Tethe'alla. If she's helping the Chosen then it must be for the good of _both_ worlds."

Sheena looked at Corrine, startled.

"Alurannai?"

The little summon spirit tilted his head as he looked up at her.

"She had wings and those little vine-like tendrils on her arms and face. That means she's alurannai... Plus I could sense it clearly while I was on her head. If she's your mother then that means you are too. That boy who was with them, the one in red with that blue thing over the top, I think he was as well."

Sheena's eyes became distant, she frowned.

"That boy, she called him Lloyd. When I first saw him earlier, just before I tripped, I though he seemed familiar... I had a flash, a memory I think, of running away from somethi..." She moaned and clutched at her head as it suddenly seemed to be filled with fire. She slumped over, her forehead on her knees. Memories triggered by seeing her mother's face starting to surface in her mind. "...The woman... she tried to kill me but Lloyd pushed me out of the way... We ran... ran to the Sentinel, but when we used it we were..." She lifted her head once more, the tears on her cheeks glinting in the dim light below her wide eyes. "I landed at a Sentinel in Gaorachia, but Lloyd must have ended up here in Sylvarant." She slowly got to her feet, picking up Corrine and setting him on her shoulder as she did so. "I... I think I'm starting to remember everything, Corrine. I..." She closed her eyes, before opening them again and picking up all of her things from their tiny campsite. Once done she set off down the nearby trail with a determined look on her face and a loaded bag on her back. "I'm going to help them... I may not remember much yet, but I know deep down that it _is_ the best thing for both worlds... After all, a ninja never harms someone if they don't have to. So I'm honour bound to pick the path that will help the most... aren't I?"

Corrine nuzzled her chin and sighed happily.

"Yup, you are. Let's hurry and catch up, maybe they'll have some of those honey sweets I like."

Sheena smiled and chuckled as she ruffled the spirit's ears.

"Maybe... You little glutton."

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A pair of blues eyes gazed worriedly at the very distant alurannai woman. All around the camp fire the group was silent and on edge. Vayla had ignored everyone's attempts at conversation, even Noishe's. She'd even ignored Lloyd, the one person in the camp who had _some _idea of what she was going through right now. Collette sighed, she wasn't having any more luck than the rest of them. Vayla may as well have been carved of stone, never blinking as she stared into the fire. Distracted by their silent companion, the group didn't notice when a figure arrived in the shadows just beyond the light of the flames.

Sheena... Alysii... hesitated, biting her lip as she saw the blank expression on the woman... her mother's... face.

_I did that... I hurt her when I told her to stay away from me... I shouldn't be here... I might hurt her again... I might..._

She bit back a curse as a burst of pain broke her chain of thoughts. Corrine looked up at her as she lifted the ankle he'd nipped and rubbed at it.

"Sheena... Alysii, she's your mother, she's not going to turn you away. She's missed you more than anything... I can feel it. Her heart's calling out for you. Now _go_ to her."

He gave her a nudge, sending her stumbling out of the shadows and into the light. The movement caught Collette's attention, her gasp of surprise making everyone except Vayla look up. Alysii ignored them and hesitantly moved towards her mother as Lloyd watched with a knowing smile on his face. When she reached her she dropped to her knees and put a hand on her shoulder. She started to speak, but stopped as a long forgotten word rose to the surface of her memory... She whispered it, hope making her voice tremble.

"...Myrta?" Vayla stiffened, her eyes slowly moving to rest on her daughter. Alysii's lip began to tremble, as awakening memories of the smiles she had seen on her mother's face in the past contrasted with the shadows in her eyes now. "...I'm sorry I hurt you... Myrta, I couldn't remember... It... It'll be ok now... please. Myrta, it'll be ok won't it?"

Vayla's eyes met hers, searching. Tears welled up as she grasped Alysii and pulled her into a hug so tight that it seemed she might never let go.

"Oh my Myrtu! My little girl!"

Lloyd got up and nudged each of the others to get their attention.

"Let's leave them alone for a while. I'll make us another camp fire in the next clearing."

Raine began to protest.

"But she..."

Lloyd waved a hand to silence her and dragged her off, Collette and Genis following. As soon as they had gone a short way he whispered sternly.

"Raine, Alysii couldn't remember anything. It's not her fault that someone sent her to attack Collette. All that matters now is that after seeing her mother's face she's beginning to remember, and that means she'll never do anything to harm Collette again." He stopped and let go of her. "It could easily have been me in her shoes right now. I got lucky, I was found after a few months and my atasi was able to make sure I was looked after. But Alysii... Vayla has spent thirteen years with no idea where she was, and Alysii... We don't know who raised her but it's not her fault they have some grudge against Collette. She's back with her mother now, where she belongs, and whatever lies she was fed over these years are as good as dropped now that her memories are coming back."

Raine stood there in stunned silence at being scolded, while Lloyd gathered a pile of dead branches and set them alight with a fire spell. Without a further word he sat down and began shifting the sticks around with an improvised poker and adding others until he had a cheery blaze cracking before them. Following his example, Genis and Collette sat down as well and began chatting about some of the new things they had seen during the trek though the Ossa Trail. With a final glance back at where Vayla and her long lost daughter were, Raine sighed and sat down as well.

_This journey just gets stranger every step we take... I'm beginning to wonder just what else might come our way... Then again, do I really want to know?_

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she listened to her brother's next comment and began to explain to him about some of the things they had seen.

---------------------------------------------------

"Myrta?"

Vayla lifted her head from where it rested on the top of her daughter's, the girl sat beside her hugging her tight with head on shoulder.

"What is it, Alysii?"

Alysii shifted a little, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"Is it alright... if everyone just calls me Sheena for now? I grew up in Mizuho so I'm not used to people calling me by my real name, and until I get the chance to go back and explain things to them it might be best not to be casual with it. It might make things awkward if it looks like I've dishonoured Mizuhoan traditions before I can tell them what's happened."

Vayla smiled, ruffling her daughter's hair with one hand.

"That's fine, Sheena, I'll just tell the other's you'd like to be called that because you're still getting your memory back and it's easier to respond to the name you're currently familiar with."

Sheena looked up at her, eyes questioning.

"So you haven't told them about Tethe'alla? They think there's only one world?"

Her mother nodded.

"Yes, all but Lloyd think there's only one world. They won't find out until I think it's the right time to tell them, probably not until the Ritual is near its end. There's more to it than that, Sheena, but you have the knowledge of it in your memories already. I think it would be best, and less risky in case of eavesdropping, if you remember it on your own without me telling you, at least until you transition to adolescence and become able to use mind speech."

Sheena snuggled her head onto Vayla's shoulder again, a contented sigh passing her lips.

"I understand, Myrta."

Resting her head on her daughter's once more, Vayla smiled.

"I know you do, you understood even when you were very little, my dear Quiet Heart."

Holding her daughter close, Vayla started to rock her slowly as she had done when she was little, singing softly the lullaby she'd last sung just over thirteen years ago.

Safe in her mother's arms, Sheena drifted into slumber. Sighing with complete contentment as her eyes slid closed.

Vayla reached under her reta, and pulled out the Watcher's Whistle she had. Sheena was still only a juvenile, so she needn't worry about the whistle waking her, for she as yet would be unable to hear it. Giving it a single firm blast, Vayla waited for the response of the nearest jiisumura. It didn't take long, barely five minutes, for the young woman who watched this area to arrive. One look at the blissful expression on Vayla's face, and the black haired girl curled sleeping against her, was all they needed to understand the reason for the call.

The jiisumura smiled, her face reflecting the joy she felt for Vayla.

"I'll go and tell Rennan immediately, and Mezo as well. Rennan knows he can't come, but at least Alysii's Bonded Partner can be reunited with her."

Vayla smiled back, before looking down at her daughter and stroking her hair.

Tell him to pay a visit to Luin during the coming winter. If we cover the distance I expect, it will be Lloyd and Alysii's birthday around about the time we get there. A brief visit in a town won't hurt."

The jiisumura nodded, the smile steady on her face.

"I'll tell him."

And then in a flutter of wings she was gone into the night, Vayla sighing with contentment just as Sheena had, before drifting into a deep slumber of her own.

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"Mezo!" Sheena threw herself at the ecstatic white and yellow Aeros that was charging towards her. Bundling into him as he immediately began preening her hair while she hugged him. She might not be able to hear mind speech yet, but she didn't need it to know just how happy he was to see her. "I missed you, Mezo. I may not have been able to remember you but I still missed you."

Watching this reunion between an alurannai child and her Protozoan was a very happy mother, an equally happy crèche mate and his own Protozoan, a young half-elven boy who clearly wasn't sure what to think, and a pair of young women searching their pockets for a handkerchief. That morning when Raine, Collette, and Genis had gotten up, they'd come out of their tents to find Sheena now dressed in a purple over robe, purple gloves, and purple shoes, with black leggings and a pink sash tied at the back in a large bow with the ends trailing down behind her. She'd welcomed them warmly, smiling at them as if she hadn't charged at them with weapons drawn the day before. But if that hadn't convinced them she no longer meant harm, then the sheer joy on her face when the Aeros hand come winging into the cluster of trees proved it beyond all doubt. Sheena, being juvenile still, continued to show up as human to the senses of Genis and Raine, but both could sense her bond to the Protozoan. That was the final confirmation of Sheena actually being alurannai, and after that they decided to just do what Lloyd had told them to, and let the matter of what happened yesterday drop.

Collette had been fine from the get go, with Sheena near immediately roped into playing cat's cradle... and she was as hopeless as it as Tasha had been. Sat holding the long loop of string, she tried again and again to get it right as Mezo continued to preen the hair she'd allowed to hang loose. Mezo had also taken quite a liking to Corrine, and soon the two had been chattering away to each other in mind speech while Collette continued to try and teach Sheena how to do cat's cradle right.

Thus, when they set off on their journey after that leisurely morning, the group of six now numbered eight...nine if you counted the little summon spirit... Nine, a most auspicious number in Vayla's opinion. Most auspicious indeed...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Aww, FLUFF ALERT! He he, I had Father/Son, and now I have Mother/Daughter... lol, prepare for future fluffiness.**


	20. Fishing Town

**Alaia Skyhawk: In response to some confusion about my end comment on the last chapter by one reader, I meant that before now I was able to put Father/Son fluff in the fic, and now I can put Mother/Daughter. I didn't meant there had actually been any father/son stuff in Path so far.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

**Oh and one more thing, I have a new vid up on Youtube. It's my first ever attempt at animation, and it's called Mika's Ocarina. I'll be putting the link in my profile.**

**-**

Chapter 20: Fishing Town

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"No fair, Lloyd! Get down here! I don't _have_ wings yet!"

Sheena glared up at Lloyd as he hovered above her holding her share of the dessert Genis had added to the mid-day meal on impulse, red wings fanning idly as he grinned down at her.

"Nuh uh! _You_ said you were fast enough and agile enough to catch me where ever I go... So prove it."

He was teasing her, she knew it, and that was the only thing that stopped her unleashing a string of foul language at him. So he wanted her to prove it... Alright, she would...

About three seconds later she was hanging fifteen feet above the ground latched onto the startled boy's leg. How she'd managed it without wings he just didn't know.

She grinned.

"That good enough for you?"

In surrender he drifted back to the ground and passed the bowl containing her share of dessert to her once she'd let go and he'd landed. Smiling to herself with triumph she followed him back to where the other's were sitting, eating her dessert as she went.

She'd been with them for over a week now, with enough of her memory back now that she had astounded Raine by holding conversations with her mother in no less than six different languages over the past few days. Lloyd had astounded the woman further by revealing his own knowledge for the first time and rattling off the history of the Ossa trail in eleven. Hearing that both children had been fluent in those eleven 'root' languages by the time they were five had resulted in Raine pulling out her notebook and barraging Vayla with questions about alurannai child development rates. Lloyd and Sheena beat a hasty retreat before the half-elf decided she wanted to do a live study of just how fast an alurannai youngster could learn something.

Lloyd had spoken to Dallinius at one point since the events at the pass, asking him to modify the geas on Genis so that he could talk about what he'd been told on the shore of the Triet Oasis if Sheena was present. The result was that over the course of a day or so Lloyd and Sheena had 'adopted' Genis as a crèche mate. Collette was welcomed into this little group as well, but need to keep secrets from her meant that for now she was only part of it on the surface, not that she noticed. The two alurannai youngsters treated her no differently from Genis. It was just during the times when the three would find time alone and talk about the Prophecy and such that a difference might have been noticed.

Sheena planted herself down next to her mother and finished her dessert, her Protozoan partner watching from nearby along with a certain Arshis.

**The way she's fit in with Lloyd and her mother again, it's like she's never been gone... She's even taken up hugging me whenever she thinks I might be feeling down. Just like she did when she was little.**

Noishe chuckled as the girl started teasing her crèche mate. Answering back at his retorts with words that had Lloyd flinching and her mother reproving her. Though the words were mild in comparison to a great number of ones the Arshis knew Vayla had in her vocabulary.

**She's got a lot more attitude now though. She's gonna give Lloyd a run for his money, even **_**before**_** she catches up with him and reaches adolescence.**

Mezo began to chuckle as well.

**Spirits help him when she does.**

The two Protozoans continued to watch their partners, until it was time for the group to head off again. If they kept a steady pace, they would be at the fishing and port town of Izoold by the end of the day.

--------------------------------------------------

Izoold was a peaceful town, one of the few in Sylvarant where Desian attacks were rare. Composed of myriad wooden cottages, it was a picture book perfect example of a fishing town. Spread along the shore at the top of a long sloping hill, a hill that was actually an arm of land that reached out into the sea, the town had a sheltered cove in the lea of that hill where clusters of children could be seen at play in the sand around that inlet.

Mezo soared over the group's heads, dipping and gliding on the winds coming off the sea as Noishe glanced up enviously. The sight of this great white and yellow bird was quickly noticed by some of the nearby villagers, and soon the group found themselves being escorted towards the inn by a crowd of extremely happy people. The Chosen of Regeneration had come to their humble town.

As they were led towards the inn, past rows of wooden cottages with neat gardens around them marked off by equally neat wooden fences, Vayla couldn't help but compare this place to the town further south that it replaced... Izalta, a town the Nine Companions had visited dozens upon dozens of times, the most notable of which had been when Yuan and Martel had gotten married. Where Izoold had just wood, Izalta had had stone as well. Thin wooden shingles, replacing the mix of slate and tile of that long destroyed town. Hard packed earth, covered with a layer of sand and gravel from the shore, replaced the streets paved with cobbles also colleted from the same source. Some similarities, some differences, not the least of which was the size of Izoold. This fishing town on the shores of the Ossa Coastal Region was just a fraction of the size Izalta had been, but the jovial air and the easy smiles of the people welcoming them were at least one parallel that she was glad to see.

She smiled at their escorts, answering questions even as her mind continued to mull over the past and the present. It was amazing, really. Take a people and strip them of the technology they'd had and they simply made do with what was left. When she looked back at things, remembering the history she'd been taught as a child, it was easy to see just how little the level of technology had changed in the time before the war caused an arms race that drove the progression of magitechnology into overdrive. Take Sea Skimmers for instance. They had been invented back when Kaleian Yorei was a child, and he was over three hundred and fifty thousand years old. The only thing that had changed on the vehicles over that time was that they became more mana efficient and that gradually bigger versions were made until they settled at a size big enough to carry about sixty to eighty passengers. After that they'd remained unchanged. They did the job they were built for and the people were content with that, seeing no reason to change the design further or try to make another vehicle to do the same thing. What would be the point? That mentality had kept the people of Symphonia at a stable level of technology for hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of years. Wars during all that time were rare, brief, and small. Usually fought with sword, spear, and bow, and occasionally with a mage or two, and they usually occurred as a result of two neighbouring towns' disagreement turning to blows. Such could hardly really be called a 'war' for they'd never lasted for more than a week before cooler heads prevailed. It was only when the myriad towns and villages scattered across the world were 'united' by certain somewhat revolutionary and charismatic men that things started hinting at turning sour. These men, who claimed leadership over the sections of the continents that eventually became Sylvarant, Balacruft, and Tethe'alla, they bound together the once loose associations between town and village councils that had effectively had the people ruling over themselves. The once common sight of neighbouring councils meeting peacefully to discuss land boundaries, or in times of hardship meeting to discuss the sharing of crops so that all would make it through... Those all faded away and the sense of a wider community of friends vanished. Sylvarant, and what was once Balacruft, had regained this somewhat, with both nations no longer having a Royal Family. Thinking about it that way, she supposed at least one good thing had come out of this four thousand year nightmare. Kingdoms among humans led to competition, and it was competition, and pride, that had eventually led to the Kharlan War. The only binding the towns and villages of Sylvarant and Balacruft had now with each other was the Church, which was so near to being the democratic arrangement of the old 'council' system, like the one used by the elves, that had someone tried to lead the population and pick a fight with Tethe'alla now, the people would have laughed at them and called them a fool before ignoring them and getting on with their lives. Leaders of the Church, like Phidra, were elected, and she could be considered to be somewhat like the Elven Elder in Heimdall. The Church was split up into parishes, like elven town councils, each with governorship over a certain area, and those parishes all looked to the Parish of Iselia, led by Phidra, as a mediator in times when a minor dispute could not be solved locally. Just like the elven councils turned to the Council of Heimdall in the same instances.

Vayla sighed.

_Maybe once all this is over we should try and keep the Church of Martel, albeit no longed dedicated to 'worshipping' false goddess and once again back on the track of 'respecting' the Forces of Nature and the Spirits that govern them like the people did before the founding of the Human Nations started screwing things up. To take that away that guiding force could lead to anarchy, and to be quite frank the hierocracy of the Church itself is filled with kind and trustworthy people, bar a couple of suspicious individuals I can think of over in Tethe'alla... And maybe, just maybe, the Alurannai shouldn't be so isolationist anymore. Once the Martel Cathedral in Tethe'alla is restored to being the Cathedral of Souls, we could perhaps have a Saeniisumura there. We could perhaps even have others walking the lands openly, rather than just have the jiisumura watch from concealment. Our people would be teachers, advisors, but never leaders. We could give advice and learning only when asked for it, and still be upholding our neutrality in doing so... It's something to think about and certainly something I should speak to Narim Breuntas about if the Plan succeeds and we end this nightmare._

She might have mulled this over further, but for their arrival outside Izoold's only inn. As Collette thanked the well wishers for their helping them to find it, Mezo swooped down and made a real show of landing right next to her without so much as ruffling a hair on her head. Standing there looking rather pleased with himself, as Sheena chuckled at his antics and Noishe snorted with annoyance at the showing of, he turned and walked stately over to the young alurannai girl daintily lifting his talons each step. This at least Noishe knew wasn't showing off, for he remembered all too well what it was like for an Aeros to try and move fast on land. It was impossible unless said Aeros were willing to hop along like a sparrow, something no self respecting individual would do in front of such a large crowd.

The group bid their escort good night, for it was getting late and the sky was starting to darken. Thus as the people returned to their tasks or homes, the group entered the fair sized inn to come face to face with a rather disconcerted innkeeper.

The woman had heard the commotion outside and realised right away who was about to grace her establishment. All set to welcome them with a smile, she froze in puzzlement and then concern as six people were followed in by a huge eagle and an equally big 'dog'. Sufficient to say her first words were not the ones she'd originally intended to use.

"What if they make a _mess_?"

Mezo and Noishe looked offended, Sheena and Lloyd hid grins, and Genis and Corrine who was sat on Sheena's shoulder burst out into choked laughter as Vayla rolled her eyes and reassured the innkeeper in terms that while they would make sense to the woman, the two Protozoans would gripe about to her for the next few weeks.

"Don't worry about the 'dog' and the 'eagle'. They're both housebroken, so they'll cause no problems by staying by sleeping in the same rooms as their 'owners'... We need 3 rooms with two beds a piece for tonight and tomorrow night, meals for tomorrow for all of us, and breakfast for all of us on the day we plan to depart. How much will it be?"

As the two Protozoans gave Vayla a dirty look and the youngsters in the group continued to giggle, the innkeeper hesitated for a moment before darting over to her guest book and working out the bill on a piece of slate while muttering the sums to herself. She then mulled over the total for a second before speaking.

"That will be two ceitres..."

Vayla raised an eyebrow and regarded her.

"While I appreciate you offering a lower price due to who we are, everyone needs to make a living and for all that this is a major port for trade, things being how they are you must barely get enough business as it is... I believe the actually total was two ceitres and two demait..." Seeing the stunned look on the woman's face, Vayla answered the unspoken question. "I have very good hearing, so I heard you working it out. Shorting yourself by two hundred gald is something I can't in good conscience let you do."

The innkeeper hesitated for a moment more, before allowing herself a tentative smile.

"Thank you. My name is Kathryn, and if you'll follow me I'll show you to your rooms."

-------------------------------------------------

"It's kinda weird. I came here to... well, you know, Sylvarant... I came here following orders to kill Collette, believing myself to just be some foundling human, wanting to prove myself to certain people back at the village where I've lived all these years. Now I'm _helping_ her, _protecting_ her, and all of a sudden can remember that I'm _not_ human, I'm alurannai..."

Lloyd sighed, looking up at the night sky from where he lay on the sloping roof of the inn where he and Sheena were stargazing.

"I know what you mean... Well apart from the 'being sent to kill someone you're now helping' bit. I had three days of near constant headaches before I started itching where my wings and sarren were about to grow in. I was on my way home when Noishe ambushed me as a prank and I accidentally zapped him with lightning... My first spell. He freaked out with his fur stood on end and all of a sudden I heard him yell at me, in my head, for doing it. He realised I could hear him and went ballistic with happiness... while I was sat there thinking I'd gone completely and utterly nuts. I sat there for the whole afternoon until my foster uncle, Dirk, came looking for me. When we got back to the house he explained about how Lord Krishka had told my dad to leave me there with him after they found me, and that I could hear Noishe because I'd just reached adolescence... It took them seven months to find me back then, and even then they only did because Inanu Yuan's nephew stumbled across me by accident."

Sheena frowned.

"Yuan, who?"

Realising she couldn't remember him yet, Lloyd described him.

"Turquoise hair, long and tied back with a shorter bit hanging loose at the front on one side. Wears a long dark cape a lot of the time..."

Prompted by his words, an image surfaced in her mind along with a handful of memories. One of which was of half-elf matching that description throwing her up into the air and catching her.

"Oh! Yeah, I remember him now. He's one of our parents' best friends." Staring up at the stars she concentrated, trying to pull more of her fogged memories to the surface but not really getting anywhere. "I still have a heck of a lot to remember... Sure I can now remember all the languages I know, but all of my actual memories of events are still foggy. The only one that's really clear is when that ang... Desian attacked us and we escaped through the Sentinel... I wish I remembered more... and I wonder how long it will be before _I_ reach adolescence. Yeah sure it can be any time between the ages of seventeen and twenty, but I'm kinda hoping it won't be that much longer... I _really_ want to be able to fly."

Lloyd cleared his throat, the darkness of the night hiding his blush at what he was about to admit about Noishe tricking him.

"What ever you do, don't listen to Noishe if he offers to 'help' you learn by giving you 'pointers'... First day I had my wings he got me to climb up onto a really high rock and jump off.. but didn't warn me Sylvarant's mana levels are too low to fly 'normally'. You've got to make a bubble of mana around yourself and twist it around you like a mini mana current. I didn't know that, and Noishe had a great time laughing at me when I landed face down on the ground after falling twelve feet... _SPLAT!_"

He smacked his hands together for emphasis and chuckled, able to see the funny side of it now.

Sheena chuckled as well.

"Aww, I wish I'd seen that... It reminds me of when I was learning to run along tree branches when I was nine. I fell off more than a few times and landed flat on my face before I got the hang of it."

Hearing the tiny sigh that came after that statement, and interpreting it quite accurately as 'homesickness', Lloyd glanced sidelong at her.

"So what was it like growing up there? I picked up that you missed it, from your dreams before we crossed paths, but that was all I could tell."

Sheena flinched, then slowly turned her head to face him.

"You saw my dreams? ...Wait... Before we met in the Ossa Trail, those few weeks before, I started feeling that while I slept there was someone watching over me... That was you?"

Lloyd was once again embarrassed. After all, what girl wants to find out a guy could see her dreams?

"I uh... Well, it started out I could just tell you were in Sylvarant, a few weeks after I became an adolescent. If I concentrated I could tell what you were feeling. Like if you were happy or sad. When we were on our way back to Triet Oasis from the Seal of Fire, I started seeing what you were dreaming if you were asleep and I was awake. I wanted you to know I was there, that I was looking for you, so I kinda turned off the need to sleep and kept watch during the night, every night. You were always dreaming about a valley somewhere... Lots of pine trees, a river, and there were mountains surrounding it too. You dreamt about it again and again every night, always the same or something similar. You really really wanted to be back there, but I sensed that beneath it you wanted to keep whoever was in that valley safe... I stayed awake the two nights after we met up, but I didn't see anymore dreams. It was probably something to do with you being missing still, and me looking for you."

Sheena looked up at the stars once more.

"Maybe... After all, I always wanted to know where I had come from... To know if I had family... Because I wanted to know, you could pick up on it because you could tell what I wanted to know... Like when we were little and you could tell if I was upset, since you knew that if I saw you it would cheer me up. And like how you would know when something made me happy, that I though you would like too... I think I remember your myrta calling it 'twin syndrome'. Saying that since we were born so close together that we were almost like twins, instinctively knowing things about the other even when separated." She sighed. "As for where I grew up. I grew up in Mizuho, a village of people preserving the last vestiges of an old culture in their way of life. From shortly after the Chieftain of the village found me in Gaorachia I began to be trained in stealth and weapons of secrecy just like the rest of the village children. He effectively adopted me, since he has no other family in the village. That's why I've had to work so hard to prove myself, since everyone in the village wanted to make sure I was worthy to live in his care. It's not been that bad a life for me. It had it's ups and downs, but then all places are like that."

Lloyd could hear the smile in her voice, and smiled as well as he watched the stars drifting by oh so slowly overhead.

"Yeah..."

-----------------------------------------------

A rattling snore reverberated out of the open door of the room, Lloyd having left Noishe sleeping in there. Walking down the short hallway into the inn's common room, he found Kathryn there just putting out a breakfast spread for Sheena, Genis, and Collette.

"Finally awake, I see. Your friend's Vayla and Raine asked me to tell you that they've gone down to the town market to buy supplies, and that after that they'll be heading down to the docks to see about arranging a boat to Palmacosta." Kathryn shook her head. "I told them that all the bigger ships are on the other side of the Inner Sea in Palmacosta right now. There's been another spate of sea monster attacks lately so only when there are enough passengers and cargo to completely fill a ship will one sail, and then only if they have a full compliment of mages and at least dozen archers on board. All that's left in Izoold is the fishing fleet, and none of those boats are built for deep water sailing. There isn't a captain in Izoold who'd risk such a venture in one of those boats... But those two insisted on still asking... Well your friend Vayla did. Your other friend seemed positively relieved that there was nothing suitable in port." She gestured him to sit down at the table. "I've put plenty on the table, just help yourselves. Your friend Vayla said I should just to put what's left in two bowls for the... Aeros and Arshis I think she called those pets of yours."

She left the room, the four youngsters smothering laughter.

Genis shook his head in amusement, before picking up a couple of slices of toast from the rack of them on the table, dragging the jam and butter towards himself as well once the toast was on his plate.

"He he, Noishe and Mezo aren't gonna live this down for weeks. 'Pets', 'housebroken', 'owners'... Talk about embarrassing for them. It's a good thing Noishe is asleep." He paused for a moment, listening. "Yup, still asleep... I swear, when he snores you can hear it from half a mile away."

Collette spooned some porridge from the pot on the table into her bowl, adding a spoonful of honey to it from the jar next to the pot.

"Yeah, his snoring is really loud... Sheena, does Mezo snore sometimes?"

Caught in the middle of a mouthful of toast, Sheena hastily chewed and swallowed it.

"I don't think so, though I can't remember much from when I was little yet. He was doing this weird whistling noise early this morning, maybe that's the Aeros' version of a snore."

The blond haired Chosen giggled, before starting to eat her porridge. Shortly after that they left a message with Kathryn to let Vayla and Raine know that they'd gone for a walk around the town should they get back before them. Breakfast eaten, mandatory message left, they headed outside only to be confronted by the strangest sight.

"Doggie! Doggie, sit!" The four of them watched as a little girl clapped happily, Corrine sat on the ground in front of her looking up. "Doggie, roll over!"

Corrine promptly rolled over, the little girl squealing with delight. Eyeing his partner for a moment, his expression clearly said 'don't you dare say anything'.

Leading her three friends away, Sheena murmured to them with a hint of humour in her voice.

"I wouldn't dream of it... Just ignore it when he does that. It's one of his quirks that he loves playing games to entertain little kids. That 'doggie' one is the most common. I see him do that one all the time."

Lloyd chuckled, stretching his arms out over his head before letting them hang casually at his sides again.

"Sounds a bit like my ata's spirit partner, Dalli. He loves to play fetch, and the younger the person throwing the stick the bet..."

A stick whizzed across the street right in front of them.

"WOO HOO! Stick! Stick! Stick! Stick! Stick! Stick! Stick!"

Followed less than a second later by a blur of white fur. They stood there watching in bemusement as Dalli came racing back a few seconds later with the stick in his mouth, carrying it to the young boy that had thrown it.

Lloyd stared at the little spirit, as if he had spontaneously announced he was going to rule the world instead of chased a stick across the street.

"What is this? National summon spirits play with little kids day?"

Watching as the stick was thrown and fetched again, Sheena also stared.

"Beats me... Maybe we should move on. After all there wouldn't be any other spirits but those two here unless there's other summoners besides you, me, and my myrta in town."

Collette blinked in surprise, putting a hand on Sheena's shoulder to get her attention.

"All three of you are summoners? But I thought those were supposed to be really rare, never more than one in a family at a time."

Sheena sighed, resigned to the fact that as long as things like this kept cropping up, she, Lloyd, or Vayla would have to answer the inevitable questions that would follow.

"That's among those with elven blood. For the alurannai, _all_ of us are summoners from birth. The Summon Spirits are one of the three Offspring Races, which are all interconnected. Protozoans live with the Alurannai, and before the Ancient War some lived around the temples where the Greater Summon spirits dwell to help watch over the Sanctuaries. Summon spirits can make pacts with an alurannai, and work with the Protozoans to look after the land. And then lastly an alurannai can Bond to a Protozoan and can also make pacts with summon spirits to help, well used to help, watch over the Giant Tree... So you see, all three are connected, and we all help each other look after the world... At least that's what it used to be like before the Giant Tree died. My myrta used to tell me stories about it all the time before we got separated."

Collette sighed, he expression thoughtful.

"It's so sad... You all watched over and looked after the land, and then the war started causing the Tree to wither and your people and the others all found it crumbling around you with nothing you could do... And now you're watching over me, because I'm the only one who can do anything to help the world right now. You're doing the only thing you can right now to help the world, that must be so hard for your people... To sit back watching and know that there's so little they can do."

Sheena and Lloyd fell silent, glancing at each other before Lloyd started to walk down the street with the girl following behind.

"Let's go look around the town."

Collette and Genis followed, neither knowing what had passed between the two crèche mates with that glance... Neither knowing that that this journey wasn't about helping Collette regenerate Sylvarant, but rather about destroying a corrupt organisation and reuniting two worlds as one once more...

------------------------------------------------

"For the last time Raine, we don't _need_ powdered chilli or red satay... We have none of the other ingredients needed to make a curry, or any kind of spicy food, and certainly nothing we _do_ have will need something to 'give it a bit of a kick' as you put it."

Vayla practically hauled Raine away from the stall selling spices and seasonings, heading for the one that sold fresh and dried fish. For the past hour the half-elven woman had been suggesting things to go in recipes that Vayla in all her years would never have even _thought_ a person would _think _would taste good. It was clear that when it came to food, the school teacher's cooking could only be considered destructive. She'd actually pulled out a book filled with her own ideas for recipes, asking Vayla if they could get the ingredients to try a few of them. Vayla had flipped through those pages and had immediately been tempted to reduce them to ash on the spot.

"But, Vayla. Surely the same meals will get terribly boring after a while. Certainly the fare we had while in the desert was bland to say the least..."

Vayla stopped dead in her tracks, turning to face Raine.

"Look, we're friends, and friends should be honest with each other... With that in mind I'm going to be blunt... Raine, you don't have the slightest _clue_ how to cook. Being a highly experienced healer I can honestly and accurately say that fully half of those recipes would cause severe indigestion or induce spontaneous evacuation of the stomach contents... i.e. make the person eating it puke... A third of them most people wouldn't be able to stand the _smell_ of, never mind swallow... And the remainder I think I'd better point out would in fact would range from being mildly to severely poisonous if the ingredients were mixed as you wrote in that notebook." Raine stood there, dumbstruck. Fearing she had extremely upset her, Vayla patted her on the shoulder. "If you like I can teach you some of _my_ recipes. Ones I've perfected over the course of my long life. I'll even teach you all about how to blend spice mixes for seasonings. Once you've learnt, we can make one and we'll use it as one of our general ones for cooking while we travel... You never know. If someone we meet has a meal with us and likes it, we might even be able to sell it. Just imagine, having your own spice blend being traded and sold around Sylvarant."

Deep down Vayla was actually dreading making that blend, and praying Raine would learn enough about spices, and what worked with what for which type of dish, that she would actually succeed in making something palatable.

One good thing though was that the words got through to Raine and distracted her from the fact that Vayla had just shot out of the sky all of her ideas for recipes.

"Y-You'd do that for me?"

Still subconsciously praying... and also resolving to pick pocket Raine of that offensive culinary book of hell and incinerate it... Vayla smiled at her.

"Of course I will. Friends are honest with each other, and they also help each other. Now lets go pick some fish from that stall, and I'll give you a run down on what the different types of fish are good for what." Putting a hand on Raine's arm and turning her to face the stall, Vayla slipped the offending notebook out of her pocket with her left hand before slinging her right arm around the half-elf's shoulders. A tiny bit of undetectable self generated mana later, and an equally small cloud of ash dropped from her hand. "After all, what are friends for?"

---------------------------------------------------

"Hey, I wonder why they only use the beach on the other side of the hill. This one's loads better. There's a lot more space since there's no netting blocking it off after a short way"

Genis and Lloyd had taken off their socks and shoes and were currently scuffing ridges into the wide sandy beach on this side of the town, having put the items of clothing into the alurannai boy's ver. The docks were visible a couple of hundred yards away to their right, with just a handful of smallish boats floating at the moorings. It looked like Kathryn was right, there _wasn't_ anything suitable to sail to Palmacosta.

Lloyd found a single stray rounded rock among the sand, picking it up and flinging it far far out into the water.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Sure that little beach is perfect for young kids, but you'd think the older ones would be on this one... There was hardly any space at all around there once Collette got those kids building sand castles. All the older ones could do was sit back and watch... At least Aly... Sheena offered to teach them to do back flips while Collette helped the little kids with their castles. That at least is best done in the shallow water so if they make a mistake they'd just get wet, not hurt."

He found another stone and threw it, not as far this time though, just into the water's edge. Something caused a second splash near to where the stone had broken the surface, and spotting this Genis walked up to where the waves made the sand as smooth as if planed flat by some unseen hand.

"That's weird... I wonder what made that splash." He walked closer, as Lloyd started looking for another stone to throw to see if it would happen again. "It was almost like something was getting out of the way of your st... AHHHHH! _Psycho starfish and crabs!!!_"

Lloyd jerked his gaze up to see Genis sprinting towards him with about _fifty_ assorted _huge_ starfish and crabs moving with unnatural speed in pursuit. Hastily gathering mana for a shield, he threw it up just as Genis reached him, the sea creatures slamming into it and climbing up over the sphere of his Guardian technique to clack and click hungrily at the currently out of reach boys.

"Uhh, Genis, I can't hold this forever... Maybe you should blast them with Thunder Blade or something..."

As Genis backed up against him to stay clear of the wall of snapping pincers less than two foot away from him, he pointed something out.

"One problem... I zap them, and I'll zap us at the same time..."

Lloyd sighed in exasperation.

"Then cast Allied Sanctuary on us. You've seen me and Vayla use it dozens of times." Genis started to stutter. "Hey, you were the smartest kid your age back in Iselia. Surely you can work your way through casting a simple spell like that. After all it's not like you're casting it on a large group. Just me and you... And if you don't get it right you can still zap them and us, which is a lot better than having those things chewing on us instead."

While he couldn't see his friend's face, Genis could hear the grin in his voice.

"Gee thanks. I feel soooo much better now... Alright I'll try it."

Lloyd chuckled, though there was an edge of strain to it now as he continued to hold the shield.

"Go for it, Genis!"

The young silver haired mage took a half step forward, and unclipped his kendama from his belt. White oak clacked as he settled the spell casting tool into a steady rhythm and called the mana to him.

"Light of mana, protect the soul that stands by me... ALLIED SANCTUARY!"

Silvery light pooled around and then washed over the two of them.

Feeling the successful cast, Lloyd nudged the slightly dazed Genis with his elbow.

"Genis, you can blast them now."

Jolted out of his daze from casting that spell for the first time, the half-elven boy began to cast again, a purple spell circle forming beneath him. Growing brighter and brighter until...

"THUNDER BLADE!"

The shrieks of the crabs and starfish as they struck were horrendous, but didn't last long. The creatures fell away from Lloyd's shield, which he then dismissed and picked Genis up to jump them both out of the still discharging lightning spell. Putting his friend down, he flung about twenty instant casts of lightning into the pile of smouldering sea life for good measure before backing the two of them up further.

"I guess we now know why they don't use this beach, and why there's netting separating the other one from the open sea..."

Having watched the pile collapse a bit, as several creatures disintegrated, Genis gave him a long stare.

"You think? ...C'mon let's get out of here before more of those things show up."

----------------------------------------------

"So it's just like Kathryn said... There are no ships here suitable for a ocean crossing to Palmacosta... I looks like we'll be taking the second route I planned. Going north to Hima and then across the plains to Luin." Vayla smiled in gratitude to this last sailor they'd spoken to. "Thank you for your help, Max Rethe. We appreciate you taking the time to speak with us."

The fisherman gave them a wave farewell as the two women turned and headed back towards the series of wooden ramps and sloping gravel paths that led down to the docks from the village above. The sturdy wooden piers, and the boat sheds that held the fishing fleet during storms, fell away behind them as they climbed back up towards the main road through the town, with Vayla pretending she hadn't noticed the look of relief that had briefly crossed Raine's face... It would seem she was afraid of water... or at least afraid of sailing. Perhaps it was just as well they would be continuing their journey on land rather than by sea. The last thing they needed was an aqua-phobic half-elf having suffering a nervous fit during a sea voyage... After all, mages could sometimes cast stray spells when severely anxious or afraid.

Raine hid a small relieved sigh, though Vayla heard it anyway.

"So we're heading to Hima next? What's the road like in that direction? If we're taking the road that is."

Vayla glanced at her, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as the hinted plea for them to travel on a proper road for a while after all the cross country slogging they'd done in the desert.

"Yes, we're taking the road. There are two roads in this region. The coastal one, that connects all the fishing villages from here northwards towards the Trans Continental Bridge... The Ossa's Arm to the merchants. The road we'll be taking is the inland one that connects the farming villages in this region. There are fewer of those than fishing settlements, so we'll travel with fewer delays if we go along that route. You know how Collette is, she'll insist on stopping a day at each village and town we pass... It's one of the reasons I've plotted so much of the route across country... That and the fact that the less predictable our route is, the less likely we are to find ourselves attacked by Desians trying to kill her."

This time the sigh of relief was made openly.

"That's good to hear, and I agree with your reasoning. The seven Chosens before Collette were all killed by Desians during their journeys. None of them even got as far as releasing their second Seal. I suspect the only reason they ever got the first Seal, the Fire Seal, released each time was because the desert is no place to stage an effective ambush. The conditions are harsh even during the best of times, and most of those Chosens were in the desert during summer, making it even worse. The Iselia Region is generally too close to the Martel Temple and the attention of the Angels to risk a venture there, though that didn't stop the Desians this time. So that make the Ossa Trail is the first real place ideal for an ambush, as evidenced by your daughter picking that place to wait for Collette to pass by." Vayla flinched, and Raine realising she'd sounded like she was still suspicious of Sheena, put a hand on the alurannai woman's shoulder to reassure her. "It's alright, I hold no grudge against your daughter, nor harbour suspicion of her. I saw her change from being uncertain and confused, to confident and assured, over those first two days, and with Mezo here as well now, I'd have to be truly blind not to see she means no harm now... I've seen a big change in you as well. Before we crossed paths with her there were times when I would see you stare off into the distance, looking lost and depressed. Since she joined up with our group, I've not seen a single moment of unhappiness from you. That first day after you found your daughter you were practically walking on air... As I would have been if it had been me in your place, and Genis the one that had been lost for so long. I may not be his mother, but I'm the closest thing he has to one... I was only twelve when we lost our parents, Genis only just weaned. We were lucky though, and crossed paths with a human woman called Milleisi. She took one look at me holding a screaming and hungry infant Genis and told me to stay put where I was while she went and got her friends. It was strange, a single swirl of the cloak she was wearing against the cold and she was gone and out of sight, and I was right in the middle of the Palmacosta Plains with nothing but long grass around me... Anyways, she came back about ten minutes later with the scruffiest dressed mixture of thirteen humans and half-elves you've ever seen. I swear their clothing looked as though it had been picked just because it fit, not because it suited the wearer. She told me that they were a group of wanderers, with no fixed home, who helped protect merchants from the monsters in the wilds from time to time to earn the money they needed to get clothing and the things they couldn't make for themselves living as they did. Milleisi told me then and there, as she wrapped one of their spare cloaks around my shoulders and handed me a blanket for Genis, that she and her friends would take me to whatever place I wanted. When I told them I liked to study, and was interested in different cultures, they said Iselia was the best place to meet lots of people from different backgrounds, and that with its Non-Aggression Treaty with the nearby Ranch, it was a safe place to raise a child as well. After that they bundled me onto the back of one of the huge wolf-like animals they had and set off to take Genis and I to Iselia. They escorted a few merchants here and there to earn money along the way, took me through any number of towns, one of which was completely inhabited by half-elves much to my surprise. Then when we crossed 'The Ossa's Arm' they took me west along the most convoluted mixture of mountain paths and trails you could imagine. It took the better part of a year to cross the Northern Ossa Mountains that way, but they said it was a kinder route than the desert would be for Genis. In the end it was nearly two years after they found me that they left me at the gates of Iselia in Phidra's care. She arranged a house for us, and got me the job as the teacher in the village school, and the rest after that, as they say, is history." She sighed. "I never did find out where they went after that. I hope I get the chance to meet them again someday, to thank them again for all they did for the two of us."

It took all of Vayla's self control not to blurt out 'that was you?' at Raine. She'd heard from Yuan about twelve years ago that Harrier Three, led by Mika's third in command, Milleisi, had found a pair of orphaned half-elves near the Window of Illusion and that he'd given them permission to carry out a mercy mission to get the pair to Iselia. He'd asked for the jiisumura to help out along the way, posing as merchants so the group could 'earn' money, and to see that one of the disused trails through the Ossa Mountains be opened up just enough to be passable, but still appear to be unkempt. It had seemed a huge effort for just two half-elves to be taken to Iselia when there were Safe Towns a lot closer, but Milleisi and Harrier Three were set on it. With her no longer being involved with the construction of the relays, she'd agreed to arrange it. Thinking back now, she should have realised just who Raine and Genis were when she'd met them back at the village, but she'd been so hyped up over starting the journey that it must have slipped her mind.

"I guess it just shows that there's still hope for the people of the world. Humans and half-elves living and travelling together, going out of their way to help others for no reward. It just shows that everyone _can_ live side-by-side if they just trust in each other and give it a chance."

The two of them fell into a companionable silence, continuing their walk back towards the inn. They were just passing the path leading to the small protected beach where the town's children could play when they spotted a familiar mop of long blond hair among a cluster of young children. There was Collette, helping the build sand castles, smiling and giggling. Beyond her, in the water, Sheena could be seen demonstrating a back flip to a cluster of older children. There was no sign of Genis or Lloyd, but then the two of them would probably have ended up stood on the sidelines if they'd been here. They'd probably gone off to explore the town while the two girls entertained the children.

Raine chuckled.

"Collette, bringing smiles to those around her, as usual. With Sheena doing her part as well it seems."

Vayla watched them, and smiled.

"She's always had a caring nature. There was a time when she was little where things were a bit grim and serious back home. She picked up on it, Lloyd did as well, and they both started trying to cheer us up. When we realised that they knew something was up, we made sure after that never to talk about those things anymore when the two of them were awake. Our own anxieties and worries were actually making Lloyd and Sheena wary of their own crèche mates, because they couldn't understand why Tailan, Yrand, and Jeraideu's parents acted different... Those three were so forlorn when Lloyd and Sheena went missing. They couldn't understand why they had gone. They were eight before we explained it to them fully, and although all three now understand, they still miss the two of them terribly. There's going to be quite the reunion party when all five of them get to meet up again."

The two of them continued on their way, heading back to the inn as Raine smiled.

"I'll bet. I think that's something I'd like to see. After all, Lloyd's was my student for ten years."

Smiling as well, Vayla strolled down the street beside her.

"I think things could be arranged. Genis is Lloyd's best friend, and he and Sheena have practically adopted him as a crèche mate for all that he's not alurannai. A bit like a friend of mine, Yuan. Yuan's a half-elf who has been friends with Lloyd's father and I for a _long_ time. It's a mark of just how much he's regarded as family that both Lloyd and Sheena call him Inanu Yuan... That's 'Uncle'. The Alurannai are big on extended families, with us living so long and there being so few children born each century." Vayla saw the query in Raine's eyes. "There are just under ten thousand of us, and our birth rate averages out at one per year. Just a hundred children or so each century, split up into crèche groups varying in size from four to ten. Couples will have between one and four children over the course of their lives, though most wait until they're at least twenty-five danne, that's two thousand five hundred years old, before they consider having a child. After that, unless their children are twins, you never get triplets or higher among my people, their children will often be as much as ten danne apart in age. Two of my crèche mates, Jiva and Teila, are twins. They're both farmers, not that the Alurannai farm in the way you'd think of it. Of my two other crèche mates, Tasha, as you know, is a jiisumura, and Hasran is a crafter like my husband Rennan. The Alurannai don't have money, we don't buy things off of each other. Each has a job within our society, providing a service or carrying out certain tasks. Food is shared out among all, anyone who needs clothing can simply go to a tailor and get it made. If a tailor needs cloth, they simply ask the weavers for it, and on it goes for every little every day thing you can imagine. If someone needs something, they ask the person whose job it is to make it. It's like if someone gets sick, or badly hurt, they come to a healer like me and we treat them. It's the healer's job to gather the herbs to make medicines, and to mix them. Just as it's a healer's job to tend to all those that come seeking their help. I don't charge the people who come to me, my services are paid for by the community as a whole. My food, clothing and all other needs are provided for me _by_ the community, and I work as a healer for all in return."

Raine looked stunned.

"No money? A society where all have a task and do it, getting what they need to live in return? It all sounds so..."

Vayla grimaced a little.

"Perfect... It sounds great on paper, but even we have our ups and downs. Years where farming proves more difficult than usual mean cutting back on everyone's share. Times when the weavers have a hard time getting the raw materials for cloth, end up with everyone whacking preservation and protection charms on their clothing to make it last longer, something we try to avoid since the mana used to farm or grow the materials to make new cloth is less than what is needed to stop clothing degenerating for the equivalent amount of time. Usually the only things we preserve like that are our best outfits and our retas. It sounds perfect in theory, but it isn't actually. All systems have their flaws."

Raine seemed to mull over something.

"What job does Lloyd's father do? You mentioned all your other crèche mates, but not him."

Vayla gave her long look.

"He's the Inartu, the Crown Prince... _That's_ his job. The day of his two hundredth birthday he took the Oath of Service before the entire population of the Alurannai. 'You stand before the People of Aluran. Do you Vow to serve those people, as their Guardian and Steward?'. 'I do... I vow that as long as I may live I will watch over them'. He has dedicated his _whole life_ to watching over our people. Normally when an alurannai reaches the age where their body slowly begins to deteriorate, they retire from their task and are looked after by all. But for the Nartana, they continue until the day they die. Narim Breuntas, Kratos' grandfather and the current leader of our people, is nine thousand nine hundred and forty-two years old. If he'd been any other alurannai he'd have retired over two hundred years ago, but even now, with him so old that he shuffles along rather than walks, he continues to lead our people and watch over them. Kratos' wife, Anna, helps him with all of the day to day matters now, and Kratos is the one that does all of the travelling that must be done at this time. Since with things as they are, our people are scattered across the world where we once used to all live together in the Citadel of Alahnsyr before the Ancient War led to the Citadel being destroyed and our people retreated within the Shield Ring of Aluran in order to better protect the Giant Tree. As a member of the Nartana, he's been taught a little of everything. He can heal, farm, craft any number of different things from weaving cloth, to forging tools, to the doing the finest of lace-like carving. He's versed in our entire recorded history, and those of many other cultures. He's been trained in politics, diplomacy, and knows how every form of government, that has ever existed on this world, is organised and how it works. He can speak over two hundred languages, many of which fell out of use long ago but are remembered by our people to preserve them. He's a master of magic, and also of the sword. He knows so much, but it took just over four hundred years of private lessons, six days a week for six hours a day, for him to learn it all. _That_ is the level of dedication the Nartana give to the Alurannai, and why we ask no other task of them. We support their modest daily needs, and in return they give us their lives from the day they take the Oath of Service, to the day they die."

If Raine had been stunned before, she was now struck senseless.

"That's... That's so much to ask of a person... And Lloyd... He'll..."

Vayla sighed.

"Yes, when he's two hundred years old, he'll take the Oath of Service just like every member of the Nartana has since the day the Giant Tree created our race. The Alurannai accept we have a duty to watch over the world's mana, just as we watched over the Tree while it was alive. And just as we accept that without hesitation, so the Nartana accept that it is their duty to watch over our people. It's not that bad a life for them, actually. Kratos, his wife, and Narim Breuntas all get as much free time as the rest of us. The only real difference is that they never retire... You're thinking of us in the terms of humans or elves, but you need to remember that we're neither. We see things in much longer terms than even you do. You'll live up to ten times as long as the maximum best estimate for a human, but the alurannai live up to ten times longer than _your_ maximum best estimate. When you live as long as we do, money is seen as a pointless exercise... Oh and if you're wondering how it is that _I_ have a supply of gald. I told you before that I used to travel around a lot so I know the importance of money when not among my own people. Over the past few years my husband has crafted things for me to sell to merchants to get travelling funds. So I would always have spare funds should the money supplied by the Church to fund Collette's journey run out at an awkward time when we wouldn't have time to go to another chapel for aid. It's just a precaution on my part."

The silver haired half-elf shook her head in bemusement, chuckling.

"And here I thought I was starting to have you figured out..."

Vayla laughed, the inn now just along the street from where they were.

"If Yuan were here he'd say to you, 'welcome to the club'."

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"So what did you all do today?"

Kathryn smiled at the group, as she set out the meal of fish pie and vegetables for them. Noishe and Mezo were in the corner near the hearth, having being banished there as 'pets' who were not permitted to hang around near the table begging scraps. They would have to wait for their meal.

**If you **_**dare**_** call us pets again at the next inn..**

**...We're going to act like the 'pets' from **_**hell**_

Lloyd barely suppressed a grin, and Vayla just carried on as it she had heard nothing like the rest of the non mind speech capable group members.

She did give them one barely noticeable glance though.

**I hadn't thought about it before, and when Kathryn reacted the way she did I picked the option she was most likely to accept... If you're so fussy about it Noishe then maybe you should start wearing your harness again... The symbols on that thing's buckles and straps practically **_**scream**_** Protozoan... Not much you can do though, Mezo. Aeros aren't exactly built to carry something like a harness, at least not comfortably.**

The two Protozoans grumbled away to themselves as Collette answered Kathryn's question.

"Well Lloyd, Genis, Sheena, and I went for a walk. We saw Corrine playing at being a dog for a little girl, and Lloyd's dad's spirit friend Dalli playing fetch with a little boy. Then we went to down to the small beach and I helped the children make sand castles and Sheena taught the older ones how to do back flips. Lloyd and Genis had gone off for a walk on their own, and when they came back to the beach later we all walked back here."

Lloyd and Genis didn't elect to expand on that... If they told Vayla and Raine what had happened at the beach they'd probably get yelled at. Remaining silent as Raine told Kathryn that she'd been right about the boats at the docks, and shuddering when Raine told her that Vayla had offered to give her cookery lessons, the two boys asked for permission to leave the table when they were done, each heading to their respective destinations. Genis to his room, Lloyd to the roof to look at the stars as they appeared one by one as the light from the setting sun faded into twilight.

Lying there on the roof, Lloyd once again thought about his father's promise.

_I'm still going to hold you to that Ata... Even if I get to see stars from a mountain before we can see each other again, I want you to take me to a _higher_ one... Wherever you are Ata, whatever you're doing right now... Good luck, and stay safe..._

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He raced away from the spire of dark violet stone that reached up into the skies, azure wings a blur as he flew with all speed towards the Sentinel. He'd spent five weeks working underneath the immobilised form of the Summon Spirit of Lightning. Krishka restraining Volt so that he could install the backups for the Seal without being harassed. The problem was, that as soon as the last backup was in place Krishka _had_ to release Volt. That moment when the final one had settled in place with a faint chime, the barrier around Volt had vanished. The spirit, still dazed and sluggish from his confinement, had only been peripherally aware of him, but the moment he had fled the chamber the hissing crackle of white hot bolts of energy had risen at his heels.

Volt was angry... Kratos had intruded... and Kratos had no doubt that the spirit would chase him as soon as he regained his wits enough to pursue.

As if reading those thoughts the sky above the temple darkened with roiling storm clouds, and a searing bolt of lightning screamed out of the sky to strike the ground inches behind him. The storm roared with Volt's fury, his rage... Rage that rose to a shrieking crescendo as Kratos reached the Sentinel and escaped... Heading for the Seal of Earth...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Took me three days to write this, but I kinda got sidetracked playing Fable: The Lost Chapters. Finished the whole game, and the expansion, in eleven hours, he he. Will powers rock... oh, that and knowing how to 'make' money with a house and a couple of trophies lol :)**

**Woot! Broke the ten thousand word mark! This chapter is 10,436 words long!**


	21. Friends on the Road

**Alaia Skyhawk: Wow, I did over 10 thousand words in **_**Izoold!**_** The tiny place where all you see in the game, if you don't go back there again, is a girl flipping out over Aifreid before she then emotionally blackmails Max to make him take you to Palmacosta.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 21: Friends on the Road

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"ERUPTION!"

A wolf, its eyes maddened, foaming at the mouth, was engulfed by the raging fire that welled up from beneath it. Its final insane howl of agony making the young mage who had just killed it flinch.

The group were on the road heading north to the Ossa's Arm, the bridge that would take them across the narrow section of sea between the Trietian Continent and the Asguardian one. Two weeks into this section of their journey they had crossed paths with their fifth band of strangely maddened wildlife. A pack of wolves, numbering almost twenty, had descended upon them with only Mezo's startled screech to warn them. The fight had been an easy one for all that they were outnumbered two to one. The wolves had been rail thin, only their unnatural rage seeming to give them the strength to move. One had managed to reach Raine, but hadn't been strong enough to so much as make her stagger. A single strike from her staff and the creature had collapsed at her feet never to move again.

"I don't get it. Wolves, even when starving like these ones were, will _never_ attack a group of people. Countless millennia of evolution and interaction with people means that instinct makes them see us as superior predators that can't be competed with. So why did these ones attack us?"

Genis was as baffled as she was, thinking back to the crabs and starfish on that beach as Izoold.

"Yeah. I mean, c'mon. We were attacked by _rabbits_ the day before yesterday. _RABBITS..._ Shy herbivorous rodents only a foot long, _charging_ at us looking like they wanted to rip our ankles off!"

Pushing the corpse of a wolf off the road, Vayla sighed.

"It's the mana... When the mana thins the non-sentient creatures of the world, be they of animal or plant origin, cannot understand it and so many of their instincts become twisted. The Iselia Region is buffered from this effect somewhat by the presence of the Martel Temple, but out in the rest of the world it's much like this. On the roads you'll come across things such as we have these past two weeks. Off the road things become much worse. It's one of the reasons I plotted as much of the cross country travel through forested areas, for plant creatures are the most common in those places." She pushed another wolf off the road. "Plant creatures won't attack alurannai, so mine, Lloyd, and Sheena's presence in the group will ward them off... Unfortunately for the herbivorous creatures our presence does the opposite. We _are_ technically plants after all."

This prompted a few chuckles from the group. Vayla had told Raine, Genis, and Collette that fact about the Alurannai not long after they'd left Iselia. An event that had prompted Genis to make quite a number of plant/animal jokes in the days after.

Prompted again, he didn't disappoint.

"So you guys are going to have to act like a tree and leaf if more bunnies get an attack of the munchies."

Lloyd and Sheena groaned, the latter half heartedly throwing a clod of earth at him.

"Maybe we could dye your hair green and plant you in the ground up to your neck to distract them. How about that? You'd look like a nice tasty patch of long grass if we did."

Ignoring the banter, Noishe looked up to where his follow Protozoan soared above.

**Keep up the good work, Mezo. You see anything else heading our way?**

The Aeros beat his wings several times, climbing higher before circling to observe the flat lands around them, the Ossa Mountains a purple blur of the horizon to the west.

**No more weird animals as far I can tell from here. That caravan on the road ahead of you is still there though, and it looks like it's stopped. It you guys keep going you'll catch up to it before it gets dark.**

Lloyd, who had been listening to the conversation, relayed it to those that couldn't hear it.

"Mezo says he can't see any more freaky animals, and that the caravan ahead of us has stopped. We're likely to catch up to it before we camp for the night."

Leaving the remains of the wolves where they now lay, cleared to the sides of the road, the group set off once more for the north.

-------------------------------------------

The Ossa Coastal Region was a temperate place. Like the Palmacosta Region across the sea, and the islands in between, it had a roughly tropical climate, minus the humidity, making it a very comfortable place to live, and a comfortable place to travel as well. Sheltered from The Sylph's yearly wind storms by the Ossa Mountains to the west, and cooled by the sea breezes that came in off the coast on its eastern side the rest of the year, it differed from the Iselia Region only in that it wasn't subjected to the icy northern winds once a year, that would bring frost and on rare occasions snow to the Village of Oracles.

The wind stirred the grass either side of the packed earth road. Just as it stirred the canvas cover that arched over the top of the large cart-like vehicle halted at the front of a short line of smaller wagons. The sound of the canvas flapping was a counterpoint to the sounds of the oxen penned to one side with sections of easily moved and packed fence. The soft sounds of the animals chewing mouthfuls of grass punctuated by the occasional snort. It was almost dark, the group able to see clearly the light coming from a fire near the largest of the vehicles, and not wanting to alarm those resting around it, Vayla walked up alone to speak with them.

She emerged into the light of the fire, stopping as soon as she was visible while the three children round the fire flinched in surprise and a man who appeared to be their father got to his feet. Holding up her hands to show she had no weapon drawn, she spoke in a reassuring tone.

"I mean no harm. My companions and I saw your fire and hoped that we might have some company with fellow travellers for the night. This area being as dangerous as it is, extra company is always appreciated, especially as we are on foot with only tents for shelter." She glanced back at the others as the man relaxed a little, waving them to come forward into the light. The sight of a boy, a young man, and three young women along with three assorted animals caused him to relax even further. "Allow me to introduce our group. I am Vayla Targathyr, this is my daughter Sheena, and the others are Raine Sage and her brother Genis, Lloyd Aurion, Collette Brunel, two Protozoans Noishe and Mezo, and the lesser summon spirit Corrine."

The eldest of the three children round the fire, a girl of about Collette's age with black hair clothed in a dark blue dress, gasped and got to her feet.

"Papa, it's the Chosen's group!" She moved closer to the group, her eyes on blond haired girl in their midst. "Lady Collette, it's an honour to meet you." She looked at her father. "Papa, we _have_ to let them stay with us."

The man smiled, chuckling a little before he gestured for the group to come over and sit by the fire.

"An honour indeed, and now that I take a closer look at you Lady Collette, I can see the Crystal that marks you as the Chosen... I am Arran, and the assertive young lady in the blue dress is my daughter Sarah. My other two children are David and Claire. I must say I'd heard there was a Protozoan in the Chosen's group, but I didn't realise it was actually two. And you, Ms Vayla, I assume are the legendary Alurannai that is escorting her."

As they all settled down around the fire, Vayla smiled at him and nodded.

"Yes, that would be me. The reason there are two Protozoans now is because my daughter and her partner Mezo," she pointed at the Aeros, "have joined the group, as has her spirit partner Corrine"

Arran shook his head in wonder, mulling all this over.

"It near overwhelms comprehension. Two Races long thought to be extinct, appearing again to aid in the Regeneration of Sylvarant. I may be a traveller but I've used my journeying to indulge in a hobby of mine. I am something of a scholar, with an interest in the various species of life in the world. Every time I spot something new, or something I've seen before, I'll jot down notes about it along with a sketch. I have quite a collection now, and if you don't object, could I perhaps add some notes about your Protozoan friends?"

Raine looked like she was going to explode with questions, but she was cut off short by Lloyd relaying the answers from Mezo and Noishe.

"Both of them said they don't mind... and feel free to add the Alurannai to your notes too. After all I don't mind answering a few questions... Would that be alright, Vayla?"

The alurannai woman nodded.

"Yes, that would be fine. After all I'm assuming you already have humans, elves and half-elves in your notes. Remember you also have a lesser summon spirit here if Corrine doesn't mind being added as well."

The little spirit hesitated for a moment, before taking in the kind expression on Arran's face. So different from those he had faced in previous experiences.

"...Alright. I don't mind."

Arran grinned, smiling his gratitude.

"That's very kind of you all, to help a man with his hobby. Maybe one day I'll turn my notes into a book for people to learn from, and thanks to you it will be all the more complete." He glanced at Vayla. "You're right that I have all those entered, though I have Dwarves as well. Met a couple nearly ten years back up near Hima. They must have on of their underground cities up there."

Stretching her legs out in front of her, Vayla leaned back propped on her hands with her wings spread slightly to either side of her on the ground.

"They do. The Dwarven City of Sraanim. It's under a mountain to the east of Hima."

As Collette began chatting to Sarah, David and Claire inching over to them when she offered to tell them a story, Raine glanced sidelong at Vayla, once again surprised by the level of knowledge this enigmatic woman had.

"You alurannai know an awful lot about Sylvarant and its people, though given that you have watchers like your friend Tasha travelling about I suppose I shouldn't be surprised... It makes me wonder if you know anything about Te... Never mind. It's nothing."

Vayla managed to hold off a startled stare, several details about Raine clicking into place. Raine and her brother had been found by Milleisi near the Window of Illusion... at the time in the lunar cycle when the Otherworldly Gate in Tethe'alla would have been open just a few hours before... Could Raine and Genis be from Tethe'alla?

Resolving to speak to her about it later, Vayla ignored it for now.

"It's the duty of the Alurannai to watch over the world and keep it alive, so naturally to do that we keep an eye on the people as well. Though it's mainly the Desian's we observe the most, for obvious reasons."

Conversation now turned to the Journey of Regeneration, and then onto other less serious topics, before Vayla brought out the tents from her ver and everyone settled down for the night.

----------------------------------------------------

The sleep spell that washed over Arran, his family, and the members of the Regeneration group was just a mild one. Enough to keep them sleeping unless physically disturbed. Creeping up to Raine's tent, a hand reached down through the opening in the end and shook her, jolting her free from the spell.

"What? Who?" Raine blinked up at the woman standing over her, barely visible in the starlight. "V-Vayla... Why?"

Vayla put a finger to her lips and pulled Raine out of her sleeping bag before whispering.

"I think you and I need to have a little talk. I've spelled everyone. As long as we keep our voices down they won't wake, though we're going to talk a little ways away anyway just in case." Pulling the shivering Raine off to one after grabbing her blanket, Vayla threw it around her shoulders to ward off the night time chill. "I wouldn't normally be this secretive, but if I'm right then this is something that Arran and his family, and Genis, have no idea about... Earlier, you were going to ask me if I knew anything about Tethe'alla... weren't you. And I don't mean the moon."

Raine froze, turning wide blue eyes on this woman who had become her friend.

"Y-You know about it? You really do? I..." She pulled the blanket tight, her grip making her knuckles white even in the darkness. "I... I was born in Heimdall... Lived there until I was twelve. My father was a Tethe'allan scholar, part of an exchange program to keep that country happy and less likely to try and interfere with the elves. He fell in love with my mother, and the people of the village hid the relationship from Tethe'alla, but just after my twelfth birthday they found out. There was an uproar, and my parents had to leave the village to keep it safe. They went on the run, pursued by the soldiers of Tethe'alla, heading east until they managed to get a ship to some isolated island. It was night time when we reached the strange stone circle, and my parent pushed me and Genis, who had been born not long after we'd fled the village, into the middle of it. The moon was full, I remember my mother telling my father throughout the trip that we had to hurry and get there before the full moon had passed... A strange portal opened, and the next thing I knew I was in the middle of some strange huge depression in the middle of the Palmacostan Plainlands. Milleisi found us after that, and the rest you know." She looked at Vayla again. "You can't tell Genis. Right now I have no idea if our parents are alive, and I don't want to get his hopes up... I think it's kinder for him as well for him not to know that we aren't even from this world..."

Vayla sighed, putting a hand on Raine's shoulder.

"So I was right... You came through the Otherworldly Gate from Tethe'alla, arriving at Sylvarant's Window of Illusion... I know Milleisi, she asked me to see that an old route through the Ossa Mountains be cleared up enough to be passable. Said she and her friends wanted to help a pair of half-elves reach Iselia... I was shocked when you described that back at Izoold, though I should have realised myself when I first met you that you and Genis were the ones she helped... You've come such a long way from home, been through so much. It's understandable why you'd be so mistrustful of others. Why you'd find it so hard to accept someone as a friend."

It was Raine who sighed this time, her expression lost.

"So you know her... I suppose given how rare a group of humans and half-elves travelling together must be, it's not that surprising you would... Before that night, that night twelve and a half years ago, I had no idea there was another world. It's obvious now that my mother knew, which means that all the elves knew, but never told any of us children about it. Probably because they thought we were too young... I promised myself that I would find my parents again someday, be they alive or dead, so at the very least I could tell Genis what happened to them."

Seeing the tears now running down Raine's face, Vayla hugged her, the gesture causing the half-elven woman's control to falter and for her to break into sobs.

"You don't need to tell me any more... But if you like I'll see about getting a jiisumura to visit the Elven Elder at Heimdall to ask if he's heard anything about what happened to your parents. I can't promise you they'll find anything, but it's worth a try."

Pulling back from Vayla, Raine wiped the tears from her face, taking a shuddering breath as she got her sobbing under control.

"I'd like that... and thank you."

Neither said any more. Vayla taking Raine back to her tent, where the woman sank immediately into slumber at her whispered spell. It was just one more secret within the fabric of the group, one more strand in the complicated weave of half truths among them. She would keep quiet about what she'd discovered tonight, and at the first chance in the coming weeks she'd do as she'd promised and send a request for a jiisumura to search for the woman's parents...

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"No, no, that's not how you use the reins! Like this!"

Little eight year old David, the middle of Arran's three children, took the reins of the small wagon he was driving from Genis and gave them an expert flick to make the oxen pulling it pick up their pace a little. The family of travellers had insisted on the two groups staying together until they reached the Ossa's Arm, the point where their two paths would diverge. Thus now instead of walking all day, the group were scattered among the large caravan that acted as a house for the travellers, and the three wagons that his children drove along behind it. Raine had been rather concerned when the six year old Claire had clambered up into the driver's seat of the smallest wagon all on her own, but Arran's reassurances, and the fact of the little girl's clear expertise when she set the oxen in motion, had made her accept the arrangement. After all, if they'd made it this far along the road with Claire driving that cart by herself, who was she to say if be done differently?

Genis watched David's movements carefully, trying to figure out what he'd done wrong. He had after all done exactly what the boy had.

"I don't get it..."

David giggled.

"The oxen can tell if you're not sure, so they know they can get away with not obeying. You have to be firm with them. Papa always taught me that I had to 'show my authority' when dealing with oxen... They'll slack off if you don't."

On the wagon behind, Claire giggled as well, Collette grinning beside her.

"Lazy Moo Moos not listen to bad driver. Me good driver, taught by Papa. Moo Moos listen to me."

Collette smiled down at this little girl sat confidently beside her with reins in hand.

"How long have you driven this wagon?"

Claire frowned a little, her brown eyes serious in her young face below her bright red headscarf.

"Mommy go to heaven when I was two and Papa sold one of our carts and made me ride with him. When I was four we stopped travelling for few weeks and he buy new cart and showed me how to drive it. Me drive cart ever since."

The blond haired Chosen blinked.

"You've been driving a cart on your own since you were _four?_"

The oxen tried to slow, but picked up speed again when Claire gave them a firm flick of the reins. She grinned up at Collette.

"Yup... Papa said he learn from his papa how to drive cart when he was four. Sarah and David learn when four too. He said it family tradition, and that more carts means more things to trade when we go past a town... I like helping. Since I learn to drive we can spend long times where we can stop and not have to travel, and have more money for books Papa uses to teach us with. I like reading. Papa promised me I could pick four story books all of my own when we get to next town. _Four books._" She chortled. "And Papa said I could pick three colours to paint my wagon up all pretty like David's and Sarah's." She thumped her sturdily sandaled heel against the plain wood of her cart, before pointing to the finely painted wagons driven by her siblings. Wagons that were works of art coloured in red, cream, and yellow, and sky blue, cream, and indigo respectively. "This cart all mine, belongs to me. Some of the money made from the things we trade from my wagon mine too, and Papa saves it up for me so I can get things I want when we go through a town. Papa paying for paint though, special birthday present for driving my cart all on my own for two years. He say I'm a proper Carav'ner now, so I get to have coloured cart."

Collette was now baffled.

"'Carav'ner'?"

Once again Claire giggled and smiled up at her.

"Caravaner... A trader. Our family called Caravaner. So I'm Claire Carav'ner. See?" She flicked the reins again, making the oxen keep up with her brother's wagon. "My wagon going to be orange and green with yellow edges. Papa ordered paint for me to pick up from town near Ossa's Arm. That means you can see my cart all coloured! We paint it before we leave last town to cross bridge. It'll be lots of fun!"

Collette smiled back at the little girl bouncing on her seat with happiness.

"Yeah, lots of fun."

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"You have a really sweet little sister... She looks all excited about something."

Sheena glanced back over her shoulder, past the wagon with Genis and David on it, to the one that Claire was driving.

Looking back as well, Sarah tucked a stray strand of her black hair behind an ear and smiled.

"She's getting her wagon painted at Osrata, the last town before we reach the Ossa's Arm. She's had her cart two years, which means she now owns it and can have it painted in three colours of her choice. It's a family tradition. The parents buy their child a wagon to drive when they turn four and teach them how to use it. If the child drives the cart for two years without it getting broken through a mistake caused by themselves, they become its owner when they turn six. My cart got damaged when I was five, but it was through the fault of another merchant when we were passing them on the road near Luin, so I still became the owner of my cart when I turned six. Papa made the merchant pay for the repairs, and since our family is so well known among the merchants the guy paid up without too much grumbling." She chuckled. "Papa didn't own his though until he was seven. He ran it into roadside ditch near Palmacosta, making it shed a wheel, so Grandpa added an extra year onto his earn it time to pay for the repairs... Once we own the cart, we pay for repairs out of our share of the profits made from goods transported in it. We pay for any repainting on it too. You might think it's a lot of pressure on a little kid, but I have to say that for me getting a cart to drive when I turned four was the best day ever for me at that time, and becoming its owner the best one after that. I've owned my wagon for almost eleven years now, and only had to pay for routine maintenance on it. It's a mark of pride that we each take responsibility for our own wagons, and it's one of the reasons we're so well respected.

"Merchants know that if you have a delicate cargo to transport, ask a Carav'ner to carry it. General haulage groups own a mass of wagons and then hire drivers. The drivers don't own the carts, so they take no pride in them, and it doesn't help that the wagons tend to be cheaply made as well. You can guarantee that a haulage firm wagon will lose a wheel at least twice on a short trip, and as much as twenty times in a long one, and every time a wheel drops off the cargo gets slammed around. Ours is a family business, and every member owns their wagon. The share of the profits we make that goes to the family is set aside in case something happens to one of our caravans. The most recent disaster to hit our family was when Uncle Rander's family lost everything to a flash flood. All of the rest of us used the money set aside to buy new wagons for all of his part of the family, and enough trade goods to get them started again."

Sheena looked from Claire's cart, to David's red and cream one, and then forward to the large green, yellow, and black edged house caravan, which still carried a fair amount of cargo, that belonged to their father, Arran.

"It sounds a little bit like the Alurannai. We each take responsibility for a certain task when we get older, and if something happens to us, or we get sick or something, everyone chips in to look after us until we get back on our feet... It's a nice way to live, because you know you're never alone, and that you'll always have friends and family you can turn to."

Sarah looked around at the rolling fields to either side of the road, he morning sun shining down on them.

"It is... I just wish all people could learn to live like that. We don't discriminate, our family. We'll trade with people no matter what race they are, because everyone has the right to be treated the same. We witness a lot of discrimination, travelling from town to town. We saw a mob once, driving a half-elven girl out of a village, blaming her for a bandit raid that she couldn't have had anything to do with. She was only three years old, and they were throwing stones at her. Papa stepped in, jumping down from his cart and picking her up. After the lecture he gave those villagers, they looked really ashamed of themselves, and so they should. We didn't leave the girl there though, even after they'd seen what they'd done was wrong. Ma tended her back to health, and we left her at a small way post we know where there are people who will take half-elves to somewhere safe. We saw that girl again just last year. She was waiting at that way post, waiting for us to pass by, so she could thank us. The people there had found her a family, with a elven woman, her human husband, and their two children. She'd had a wonderful childhood after we helped her, and she wanted to let us know just what a difference we'd made to her life."

Sheena looked around at the hills as well, looking out over this world that she could well be the key to saving.

"All it takes is for someone to find the courage to speak up, to speak up and make a difference. If more people can then follow that example, stand up and speak out as well, then things will start to change. When we finish this journey, to save everything, I'm going to do just that. I'm going to go out and act as an example. I'll travel and help anyone I come to that needs it, no matter what race they are. People discriminate because they allow their hearts to become weak, choosing to fear others' differences rather than trying to understand them. Well I'm not going to let _my_ heart become weak, and I'm going to do all I can to help the people become strong of heart too. Because when people accept others, everyone wins."

--------------------------------------------------

It was the faintest of shivers, a tiny flicker of a long lost power, but Vayla felt it and recognised it. The power of the Force of Heart. She scanned the land below as she soared above keeping an eye out for danger with Mezo, searching it, then her eyes settling on her daughter as her ears picked up the last few of her words. She would have turned her gaze away then, putting that flicker purely down to Sheena, but her eyes fell onto the little spirit snuggled fast asleep against her daughter's side... A fox-like spirit with blue/green tails...

Realisation hit her like sledge hammer, realisation that like Dalli, Corrine looked like a smaller, less powerful version of a spirit she'd known long ago. A spirit that had been lost to the mana currents of the world for almost five thousand years.

_It can't be... Can it? Corrine can't be Verius, can he? An echo not yet fully awakened, existing as a lesser spirit... But if he is what could have called him forth ag..._

She looked at her daughter, a daughter that she had named Quiet _Heart_... A daughter that had just declared that once the worlds were restored to their true form she would help the people to learn to trust in their hearts and believe in each other again...

Watching her, Vayla was immediately proud.

_It looks like I named you better than I expected, Alysii. How long it take Verius to truly reawaken, I don't know. But I do know that _you_ will have something to do with it..._

Turning her attention back to the lands around them, watching for danger, Vayla glided through the skies. It would seem things were really coming together, and maybe, just maybe, if they succeeded all five Sumara Lords would be present to see it.

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Paws thudded in long grass, the Arshis ranging far ahead of the caravan with Lloyd on his back, acting as an advance guard against the possibility of more mana twisted animals attacking the travellers.

"Sheena's happy."

The green and white Arshis flicked an ear back, though he didn't slow his pace.

**And how would you know that? She's half a mile behind... Oh... that... Never mind... Sometimes I wonder whether to consider your ability to tell what she's feeling sometimes, as either an asset or something weird.**

Lloyd laughed.

"What, and you call your ability as my Bonded Partner to feel what I feel as _not_ being weird in that context?"

If they hadn't been out here doing a job, Noishe would have dumped him and doused him with magically conjured water.

**So you feel like being a smart mouth today, huh? Watch your back...**

The alurannai youth laughed again.

"You try anything magic-wise and I'll just use Allied Sanctuary... or are you forgetting I can cast that near instantly now?"

If looks could kill Lloyd would have dropped at fifty paces. Scrubbing his knuckles between Noishe's ears and tickling him around the base of the neck, the Arshis soon forgot under the intense urge to _scratch_ that had reduced him to circling on the spot.

Lloyd sliding off his back as his rear dropped to the floor, Noishe sighed in bliss while he scratched the spot the boy had left as a mass of itch. The next second Lloyd was begging for mercy as Noishe pounced on him deciding that his face needed a nice coat of Protozoan drool...

----------------------------------------------------

"You almost done?"

"... Yes, now be quiet..."

"... ... ... You done now?"

"... No... I'm _almost_ done..."

"... ... ... ... ... What about now?"

"..._No_."

Holding back a sigh, forcing his hands to remain completely still, Kratos tried his best to ignore the incessant questions of the little green hatted Gnomelette. It didn't help that Gnome himself was snoring, a rattling reverberation that actually had some of the smaller pebbles here and there around the altar bouncing from the volume.

He sighed.

_Well at least the racket will keep any angels away... Not even a soulless angel could face _that _constant sound for long..._

The little Gnomelette tilted his head in that oh so cute way that belied the creature's capacity to annoy someone.

"So are you done now?"

Kratos couldn't take it anymore. Foregoing any further adjustments he pushed the last Earth Seal backup into place, the chiming sound smothered by Gnome's snoring, and turned to face the Gnomelette.

"Yes, _because_ I've put the last one in fast, _because_ you irritated me, _because_ you have no patience whatsoever, _because_ you were made to be the most _annoying little..._"

Kratos didn't get to finish his tirade. With the first 'because' the green hatted Gnomelette had twitched, with the second 'because' its little eyes screwed up, with the third it brought its little hands up to hold its head, and with the last 'because' it started to bash said head off the floor...

"The _word! I CAN'T STAND THAT WORD!!!!_"

THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!

Kratos stood there blinking as the Gnomelette continued to blubber.

"Four and a half thousand years and it still hasn't gotten over that?"

Leaving the Gnomelette continuing to beat itself up, and Gnome continuing his snoring, Kratos spread his wings and flew up out of one of the openings in the cavern roof. His next stop would be the last in Tethe'alla. The Seal of Darkness... Once done he would go to Sylvarant, and be one big step closer to being with his son...

------------------------------------------------

"PAINT!!! ...PAINT! PAINT! PAINT! PAINT! PAINT!!!"

Claire ran back towards her wagon clutching a large pot of dark green paint. The vehicle had been unloaded, the harnesses for the oxen un hitched, and the surfaces cleaned and sanded down ready for brush and colour. The little girl danced on the spot, her brown hair barely kept in check by her red headscarf while her family and the rest of the group came up behind her with the rest of the pots and the brushes.

Watching his daughter's antics, Arran laughed.

"Yes, Claire, it's paint. All three colours you wanted. So where do you want each colour to go?"

It took the little girl all of about five seconds to blurt out her answer, forcing her father to ask her to repeat it more slowly. After that everyone gathered round, helping the little girl make her wagon the one of her dreams. This was a time the group would cherish, a happy memory in what promised to be a long and arduous journey. Many trials still awaited them, many dangers, but for now they smiled and laughed along with a little girl's joy. By the time they left Osrata tomorrow a green and orange wagon with yellow edging would be trundling along behind those belonging to the girl's family. One last trip together before they crossed the bridge called Ossa's Arm and parted ways...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: That bit with Claire was cute. It was spur of the moment that stuff about painting the carts. I had writer's block yesterday and this is what broke it. Oh and I know I didn't have Arran mention Aska, the group will meet these guys again later.**


	22. Shore of Icy winds

**Alaia Skyhawk: He he, 6 thousand words of travel... He he, my present estimate for the number of words before the first Tower Scene is at 230 thousand words (I have rough number of chapters worked out) To put that in perspective, Prequel and Hope together add up to 371,700 words. I'm currently looking at having written more than half that much by the time they've got to the Tower. O.o;**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 22: Shore of Icy winds

-

The winds howled in from the sea to be trapped swirling by the mountains to the west, before they could climb up to pass over those great peaks and continue on their way. This was the north-western shore of the Inner Sea, and the winds were coming from across that wide expanse of water, in past the southern most point of the Asgard Region, from the shore of the Holy Ground of Kharlan more than three hundred miles away in that direction. From where they were stood now, the Tower of Salvation was just a little over a thousand miles away to the east. They were standing near halfway between it and Iselia, the place their journey had begun, and while in that village one had only been able to see the light reflecting off of the Tower, here one could start to make out the Tower itself. A hair fine line of white that reached up from the horizon in the midst of the glow of sunlight reflected from its pristine surface.

"Why is it so _cold?!_"

Genis was shivering inside his tightly bundled cloak, breath condensing in the cold air to be swept away by the constant wind.

Vayla muttered a spell, creating a barrier as a wind break so they could rest for a moment. Flapping cloaks stilled, ruffled hair settled, and immediately they all felt somewhat warmer.

"We're well north of the equator now. While it was spring going on into summer down in Izoold, up here it's late autumn now, heading into winter. That along with the winds off the sea is why it's so cold here right now." She glanced at Raine. "I think we should have Genis ride on Noishe, Collette as well, both of them are finding these conditions a touch too harsh."

She was right. Collette was shivering almost as badly as Genis was. At least on Noishe's back, now that he was wearing his spelled leather harness again, Vayla could tie a simple shield to it to shelter them from the heat stripping wind.

Agreeing with the alurannai woman, Raine picked up her brother and set him on Noishe's back, the Arshis helpfully ducking his shoulders a little so she didn't need to lift him as high.

"I still can't understand why we've come along this shore even if it _is_ shorter, when if we'd stayed with Arran and his family and taken the road we'd be out of this wind."

Vayla sighed, carrying a protesting Collette over to Noishe and setting her behind Genis.

"Remember what I said about what season it is up here? Well you _do_ remember what happens in Iselia this time of year? The winds start blowing from the north, bringing cold weather to the whole region. Those winds affect the region where the road is west of these mountains as well, which means it will get just as cold on _that_ side as this side... We might as well take the shorter route and save time... We'll definitely need to get some warmer clothing at Hima though. The 'winter' gear you have is no good at all for the conditions in winter up near Luin. We'll need to get snow shoes as well at this rate, or a sled. There's no way Genis could walk through the kind of snow they get up there, he'd freeze." She brought a thick blanket out of her ver and slung it around the girl and the boy before setting a shield on the harness to ward off the wind. "They don't get blizzards up there, but they _do_ get a lot of 'dead fall' snow. You're talking snow up to ten feet deep in places, and nowhere will it be shallower than a foot."

Genis, no longer shivering now that he was sheltered from the wind, patted Noishe on the shoulder.

"But what about Noishe? He's heavy, he'll just sink into the snow, and _he_ can't wear snow shoes."

Noishe chuckled, Vayla following suit.

"That's only if he's going slow, or standing still. An Arshis at even a slow, by their standards, run, won't sink into the snow. It's the way they run, which allows them to run so fast, which means they almost ghost over a surface once they get going. A sled will ride on the surface as well once it starts moving, especially if we get a light weight one, and it's not like it will be loaded with heavy supplies, just those in the group that can't go fast enough to keep up with Noishe once he runs fast enough not to sink."

Sheena cleared her throat, catching their attention.

"Umm, I came this way, well down to the Ossa Trail via the Ossa's Arm, last winter. I've seen the sleds up here... None of them are what you would call 'light weight'. Sleds up here go through snow by brute force, and from what I saw people use them as ploughs to clear a path for wagons travelling along behind. I think if we want a sled for what you're saying we'll do, you should get a proper one made for an Arshis from home. There's no way Noishe could pull one of the sleds up here fast enough for him not to sink."

Vayla's expression became thoughtful.

"Are you sure." Sheena nodded, causing her mother to grimace. "I wanted to avoid getting help from the rest of the Alurannai, since this journey is supposed to be part of Collette's trial, but I suppose getting a sled won't hurt... I'll use the Sentinel between here and Hima to visit Nae Shiu and get one... We're still buying the snow shoes and better winter clothing for you three once we get to Hima though."

She pointed to Raine, Genis, and Collette. Sheena, even though as a juvenile she was still vulnerable to the cold, was fine. Dressed in some thermal fabric that while fairly thin, insulated against the cold perfectly.

Lloyd, Vayla, and Sheena ignoring the icy winds, the rest of them bundling blankets and cloaks around themselves, they set off along the frigid coast once more as Mezo soared overhead.

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_'You're afraid...'_

The spectre leaned over him, speaking into his mind where he couldn't blot it out, only do his best to ignore it. He'd arrived at the Seal of Darkness to find that Shadow had split into several parts, something that occurred regularly since he had no way of disbursing his excess force like the other Spirits. Basically when it got too much, he'd separate since the very act of splitting himself consumed the extra power. Over time he'd drift together again, and the cycle would begin anew... It was just a pity Kratos had gotten here just after a split, since one of the fragments had been hanging around the Seal itself and was now playing at being his 'inner darkness'... A rather pointless exercise with an alurannai, since their very mentality meant that they never held guilt for long, instead turning it towards something more constructive, like forgiving themselves and doing what they could to make up for what made them feel guilty in the first place.

To put it simply... the spectre was grasping at straws trying to intimidate him as it had done for the past five weeks he'd been here.

"Be gone, shade, you waste your time and I will not be here for much longer anyway. Once this last backup is in place I will be leaving, and you will haunt these shadows alone."

The shadow version of himself scowled, eyes so dark as to be near black in a face as pale as if it had never seen the sun. It paced around him, back and forth.

_'But you are... There are many things you fear... To live forever with no way out, bound by the Precepts to do all you can to keep surviving even when the time comes that you will yearn for death... You fear for your son, the son that could well be the key to saving Symphonia, but just as he might be the key, if he is he will become a target. Yggdrasil, if he discovers what is going on, will bring all of Cruxis' fury down on the world, doing whatever he has to, to destroy the threat to his power... Destroy your son... or Vayla's daughter if it should turn out to be her...'_

Kratos flinched, though his hands did not move. This was the thirty-second backup he'd have set, eight for each Seal, and his arms were too set into the routine of perfect stillness for them to move in reaction to that statement.

"I know the dangers, and I accept them. Instead of worrying, I will put forth my effort into making this venture as safe and secret from Cruxis as is possible... As for my 'living forever with no way out'... I got over that nearly twenty years ago... When I married Anna and she bound herself to the Precepts by taking the Oath of Service. She is as bound as I am, but accepts it without hesitation or regret. Determined that no matter what, no matter how long, she will live each day to its full and cherish it always."

The spectre sneered, stopping his pacing and leaning in close to whisper in Kratos' ear.

_'But those were not your greatest fears... The Origin Seal... You are the Seal, and the Seal must be broken to save Symphonia... Break the Seal and you may break yourself... If you die the Precepts will bind Anna to live on with no way out... alone...'_

It was only through sheer will that Kratos remained still, the precious backup hovering precariously in his grip millimetres above the position on the Seal where it was to be put. Gritting his teeth, he remained steady through that will.

"_I said BE GONE!_"

The spectre began to laugh.

_'Ooo, it seems I struck a nerve. Well here's another... If you die, then your inexperienced and very young son will become Narim when Breuntas dies, which you know is but a handful of years away now... He will have to face Cruxis all by himself, without his father to protect him. Oh and what if he dies too? ...The Alurannai will have failed in the most total way possible. Even if Alysii is the Chosen, what good is it having a new Tree with no Safeguard? The Alurannai with no leader? ...And without the Nartana, Krishka's power will begin to fail, life and existence supporting it or not... The Shrine Spring of Alahnsyr will fail, it's protections gone, and the Shield Ring of Aluran will become useless. One by one the protections around the Tree would fail as well, until just the shattered remnants of your people stood between it and the foolish pride of the Human Race... Pride that causes wars... Pride that leads to discrimination... Pride that would eventually kill the new Tree as surely as it killed the last...'_

The last Darkness backup clicked into place, the chime making the shadows tremble as surely as Kratos now did. He slowly got to his feet, refusing to look at the spectre whose taunting whispers plucked at his resolve. He started to walk away from it, closing his eyes as it followed him, still taunting.

"...You have no power over me..."

It walked in front of him, that pale mirror of his own face filled with dark glee as its near black gaze caught his.

_'I thought you said I was wasting my time... but it seems you are not as sure of yourself as you claim. Your whole life is one failure after another. You failed to save your father... You failed to end the war in those crucial first years, making it worse instead... You failed to save the Tree... You failed to hold Mithos to the true path... You failed in your promise to Martel, to watch over him... You failed to stop him falling into madness... And you failed to pull him back from it... You are a failure, one who will taint everything he does, and curse it to fall apart around those you hold dear... Nothing you have done, nothing you will do, will amount to anything...'_

Kratos stared back at it, face showing no emotion, no reaction... And then he brushed it aside and walked on.

"You say nothing I have done will amount to anything... Well you are wrong... For my son is strong of heart and resolve. Filled with the determination to save this world, even from when he was still too young to understand it... He has already amounted to becoming an individual I am proud to be the father of, and so that alone proves you wrong... Yes I made mistakes in the past, yes in many cases my efforts proved futile, but that does not mean I will give up... I will tell you one last time, shade... _Be gone!_"

With a scream of thwarted malice, the spectre wailed and vanished into the darkness, the fragment of Shadow's power that had formed it left to wander the Temple once more.

Reaching the start of the long sloping path to the upper levels of the Temple, Kratos picked up the Saeniisumura staff he had brought with him to help him navigate this place, letting its pale blue light push back the shadows around him and guide him out of the depths...

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"So _this_ is a Sentinel! _Fascinating!_"

Three alurannai, a half-elf, two Protozoans, and a human girl, all stared as the silver haired teacher rushed up to the huge tree, where it stood in the middle of a cluster of smaller ones, pulled out her notebook, and began to scribble.

"There she goes again..."

Lloyd grinned a little, as Genis let out a sigh of resignation.

Watching his sister flit around the base of the tree like a child on a sugar rush, he looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him.

"Geeze, Sis, you made all sorts of sketches of the one near the village back home. Why are you so worked up about this one?"

"Because I've never known before that the Alurannai called them 'Sentinels'... My knowledge about them is incomplete!" She spun and dashed up to a startled Vayla. "What can you tell me about these _fascinating_ trees?!"

Vayla actually backed up a step before answering.

"Umm... Well they were created by the Giant Tree to help it distribute mana across the world more evenly. They are interconnected via each other by what the Alurannai call the Tree Links. The Alurannai can ride on those links to move near instantly from one Sentinel to any other... Which is exactly what I'm going to do now."

She side stepped Raine, dashing over to the Sentinel and putting her hand to the trunk.

Raine turned just in time to see the alurannai woman disappear with a soft flare of golden light.

"But... but..."

Realising that Vayla was well and truly out of reach, she turned to start asking the next best individuals... Only to find that Lloyd and Sheena had both made a hasty escape up into the branches of one of the trees and that even Noishe and Mezo had pulled a disappearing act leaving Genis and Collette standing there blinking around in confusion at the speed of their disappearance. Aware that she wasn't going to find out any more now, she grumbled to herself and sat down on the nearest comfortable sized rock, noting down what Vayla _had_ told her.

Collette eyed Raine warily before whispering to Genis.

"I hope she doesn't decide she wants to study an angel... She's scary when she's like this."

Genis sighed.

"Tell me about it..."

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"That woman! I swear she sometimes scares me more than facing a huge horde of angels alone..."

Vayla walked away from the Nae Shiu Sentinel, before taking flight with a half step and a small leap. It didn't take her long to reach the settlement up in the tree tops, and when she did she immediately noticed a difference from the last time she'd been here. When she'd left all those months ago to begin escorting Collette, Nae Shiu had held an air of sadness and shadows. That air was gone now, and the atmosphere that had been prevalent before Lloyd and Alysii's disappearance had returned. It was a nice thing to see.

_Thirteen years of despair, that's a long time, even for us._

Landing on a walkway, she decided to make one brief stop before she headed to the equipment storage where she could requisition an Arshis sled. Walking along the all too familiar route, she eventually stopped at her intended door and went in.

The home of the Nartana was quiet, the hallway dark without a single light lit. A glance into the living room revealed it to be empty of people, as were all the other rooms she passed, until she reached the study to find a woman with neatly folded green and gold wings sat at the desk with only the light coming in the window to see by as she read through some report.

Hearing the scuff of foot on floor behind her, Anna turned to see Vayla standing in the doorway of the study.

"Vayla? What are doing back? Shouldn't you be with Lloyd, Alysii, and Collette?"

The ebon haired woman sighed, before walking over to sit on the stool beside the desk.

"I came to get an Arshis sled, since we're going to need a sled before long for Collette, Genis, and Raine to ride in. None of them are used to, or strong enough, to handle trudging through mile after mile of snow in snowshoes, and according to my daughter none of the sleds we might buy in the region would be light enough for Noishe to pull efficiently."

Anna's eyes became distant for a moment, and then thoughtful as she mulled through her own memories.

She grimaced.

"She's right. Sleds in Sylvarant tend to be built from whole logs lashed together, made to be pulled by a team of oxen. An Arshis would barely manage a crawl pulling one of those... As for getting a sled from here, I've notified one of my runners. They're heading to the storage now to get one."

Vayla smiled her thanks for the saved trip. The runners were individuals that Anna had trained with to become familiar enough with that she could catch their attention from a distance to get them to 'listen' for her. That was one disadvantage to her not being Alurannai, since a Receiver Crystal in general only did that, receive. They did amplify the user's thoughts enough that if an individual with the ability to use mind speech 'listened' for them, they could hear them though. The problem was one that could be solved by familiarity, like how Anna had become able to get Noishe's attention early on from his hanging around her so much.

She glanced at the green eyed angel.

"Where's Narim Breuntas? He can barely walk now. I would have thought he'd be here..."

Again Anna grimaced.

"A camp has been set up close to the Tower of Salvation here in Sylvarant, and he's staying there. The camp is _plastered_ with concealments and protections, far more than he'd asked for, but I wasn't about to take chances and overrode him on that matter. He said he wanted to be on hand ready for when the last Mana Link breaks, since if anything goes wrong the Tree would be drawn over to Sylvarant by the mana flowing from Tethe'alla..." Her expression became bleak. "I hope he never has to step in, but like my adding all those extra protections... he can't afford to take any chances either... Don't tell Kratos where Breuntas is when he catches up to you... He has enough on his mind as it is. If he asks, Breuntas is paying a visit to the Shrine Spring of Alahnsyr to build his strength up before he does a tour of our settlements to check on everything. All the relevant people have been briefed, so if he visits one the people there will answer with the same, and later move on to mention that 'he was here to visit a while ago'... I know Kratos will be upset with us both when he finds out later, but he'll understand why we did it as well."

There was a light knocking on the front door of the apartment, Anna's eyes becoming distant again for a moment as she told the runner to come in. The runner turned out to be a man that Vayla knew was not long out of adolescence, wearing the yellow reta of a political with an azure band stitched around the collar along with a single Kharlan flower on each side. The indication that the man was a royal messenger directly in the service of Anna.

He bowed his head respectfully.

"Lady Anna, I have retrieved a sled as you requested."

Anna sighed.

"Brinder, how many times have I told you, you don't need to be formal with me unless it's a formal occasion. 'Lady Anna' is fine, but you don't need to bow your head every time you speak to me. You chose the profession of Royal Messenger as your Task, which means that unless you request to change to a different profession you and I are going to be working together for a _long_ time... Please drop the formality, it's going to get very tiresome after a few centuries."

Brinder looked embarrassed, as Vayla covered a smile of amusement.

"I apologise, Lady Anna. I keep forgetting." He inclined his head in greeting to Vayla. "I'm assuming the sled is for you, Vayla... For the snow that will not long begin to cover the Asgard Region?"

Vayla smiled, nodding as she got up and walked over to him.

"That would be correct... and I guess I'd better be going." She looked over her shoulder at Anna. "As much as I'd like to stay and chat to you, I have a task I have to get back to."

She offered her left wrist and the ver on it to Brinder, the messenger pressing his own against it before he ran a finger over the device locating the sled. A faint tingle from both devices signalled the transfer of the sled from one to the other, and with one final nod to the two of them, Vayla left the room to make her way back to the group waiting for her just two weeks travel away from the mountain town of Hima.

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Yeah this was a filler, but I'm determined not to jump from one town to another with nothing in between. Another little snippet about vers was mentioned here though, the first opportunity where I could fit it in logically.**


	23. Hima, Town of Adventurers

**Alaia Skyhawk: This one is probably going to be long. I have a lot of stuff to put in, so let the writing commence!**

**(I can't remember the name of the lady at the inn, if she even has one, so I'm just making one up. Also, I couldn't remember the name of the guy on the Caravan so I made his up too. I've since been told by a friend that his name's Nova, so as for as this fic now goes, Nova will be his middle name making him Arran Nova Carav'ner)**

**Oh and I made a mistake with the distance between the group and the Tower at the start of chapter 22. It's actually just over a thousand miles. It's been corrected.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 23: Hima, Town of Adventurers

-

Walking up the slope of foot worn sandstone, icy winds ruffling their hair, the group passed through the 'gate' into the Town of Hima. They passed the great stone pillar that thrust out of the mountainside right next to the road, forming the second side of this entrance of sorts, of which the cliff face rising skywards on their left was the first. It was impressive to say the least considering the location of this town, halfway up one of the Hima Mountains this place was named after. Rounding the bend they were next confronted with a sight that had all but Vayla and the two Protozoans staring in awe.

Hima wasn't so much a town, but rather one very long street that wended its way back and forth up the mountainside like a great serpent basking in the sun. Roofs of wooden shingles painted red to look like tile, with some even painted yellow to look like straw thatch, stood out against the orange stone like flames in the early morning sun. This view had been named by the wandering merchants of the world to be one of the greatest views of a town in all of Sylvarant. This wasn't the only accolade the town had though, for where the last of the houses stopped on their climb up the mountainside, a large plateau of flat rock lay on the top of one of the mountain's protruding ridgelines. There on that plateau one could look to the south-east and see a perfect view of the Tower of Salvation rising above the peaks at the end of the Asgard Mountain Range. That view was what made this place popular with pilgrims, though it was the former that brought bards and poets here looking for their inspiration to be stirred by the vivid colours of the town of Hima.

Vayla smiled up at that view, thinking back to some happy memories from the days of the Nine Companions, such as the one where they'd stayed here one winter and Mithos had decided to try sledging down the side of the mountain on a piece of board... He's sworn later that he'd been picking pieces of rock out of his hair for weeks afterwards, remnants of the miniature landslide he'd buried himself under after he ran out of snow and ended up sanding the board down to tooth picks on a scree slope and rolling the rest of the way down once it had been reduced to splinters.

"The Alurannai call Hima one of the 'Timeless Towns'. A place where the terrain holds the settlement to the same form, regardless of the passage of time. Old buildings may fall, new ones take their place, but no matter what era one is in when they enter, they could go to another and find the town will remain so similar that they'd find their way around as if they'd lived in the present one for years. Luin is another Timeless Town, the islands that it is built on within Lake Sinoa keeping it much as it was the first time I ever set foot there when I was just four hundred and fourteen years old." She took a closer look at the town from this vantage point. "Hmm, as for this place, the houses go a little further up towards the viewing plateau, but that's the only real difference from the last time I came here."

Genis glanced at her sidelong, expecting the answer to the coming question to be unusual by 'normal' standards.

"And just how long ago was that?"

Vayla grinned at him.

"Oh, only two hundred and sixty-four years ago."

Prepared for the answer, his expression didn't change the slightest bit.

"That's over a quarter of the elven/half-elven life span and you say 'only'?"

Genis was joking, and they all knew it, chuckles spreading among them as they set off towards the start of the 'street' of Hima. After passing the first few houses at Vayla's instruction, she then led them into a large gap between two of them and up the zigzag path they would never have known was there if she hadn't shown them. Up and up they went, the obscured paths they took letting them cut whole great sections off the trip upwards rather than follow every loop of the long road. It was when they were about a third of the way up that Vayla turned to head towards a building clearly marked as an inn at the end of the loop they were on.

Sheena put a hand on her mother's arm, stopping her.

"No, that one." She pointed at a different inn at the opposite end of the loop. "I passed through here on my way south, I know the innkeeper in that one, and I'd like to check up on someone I helped to get here. He wasn't too well when I left him with her."

The rest of the group looking around at each other, they all shrugged and headed for the inn that Sheena had pointed to. It was small, but neatly kept, and held a cosy atmosphere even from outside.

Sheena pushed the wooden door open, leading them in as the bell attached to it rang and the sound of footsteps came from the set of stairs at the rear of the moderate sized common room.

A woman with coppery brown hair descended wearing a thick winter dress with a pair of leggings underneath to ward off the errant gusts of wind that were common in a mountain settlement. Hazel eyes cheerful, she started to smile at them before freezing in surprise.

"Sheena?"

The former assassin smiled at her.

"Hi, Grace, it's been a while."

The innkeeper, Grace, broke into a smile as well before hurrying over and enveloping Sheena in a hug.

"It has... It's good to know you're alright." As she stepped back from Sheena again, she took in the sight of the very mixed group now standing inside her inn. "Is this the group you were looking for Sheena? The group you wanted to help?"

Sheena barely kept control of her expression as with a hand on Grace's shoulder to take her attention away from her friends, she gave the others time to get control of themselves and put straight faces on.

"Yes they are. I finally crossed paths with them as they were going through the Ossa Trail. I didn't say to you before, because people would have just told me to go home and stop dreaming, but I really wanted to help the Chosen on her journey. That's whose group I was looking for." Seeing that the others were once more straight faced, Sheena began to introduce them. "This is Collette Brunel, the Chosen of Regeneration, you already know Corrine, and the rest of our friends are Genis and Raine Sage, Lloyd Aurion, his Protozoan partner Noishe, and lastly..." She walked over to Vayla and put an arm around her shoulder as Mezo stepped up beside her. "This is my mother, Vayla, and my Protozoan partner Mezo. I found my family, Grace!"

Grace stared in astonishment, taking in what she'd heard about the Chosen's group, and what that meant about Sheena.

"That's wonderful... but that means you're..."

Sheena smiled, as her mother tugged on her hair and resettled her violet wings underneath her green reta.

"Yeah, I'm alurannai. I'm still a juvenile though, so it doesn't show yet. All my memories from when I was little have been coming back, so it's not that strange to me now as it was when I first found them again." Her expression now became enquiring. "Speaking of people I've found, how's Pietro?"

The smile on the innkeeper's face faded to solemnity. With a small gesture, she indicated they should follow her upstairs. Noishe and Mezo remaining behind, they did just that as she led them into the last room at the end of the upper hallway.

Inside the small room a fire was burning in the hearth to ward off the chill, and in the bed near the window, a man so pale as to appear near death lay unconscious.

Grace walked over to him, brushing a strand of hair back from his clammy face.

"He fell ill not long after you left. It's nothing the town doctors have seen before, and even when a passing dwarf safely took the exsphere that was on him off, it didn't make the slightest difference. He's like someone half alive. When he wakes you can get him to eat and drink, bathe, everything, but he does them as though in a dream... mumbling incoherently to himself. I just don't know what else to do. He's alive, and he isn't getting any worse or anything, but this isn't exactly life when he has to be told to do everything. If no one told him to eat, he'd just sit there and starve."

Vayla walked over to the opposite side of the bed from Grace, placing a hand on the sleeping man's forehead while she held the other motionless above his torso. Eyes closed, frowning with concentration, she remained as still as a statue for almost ten minutes before she stood straight again, her expression grave.

"The mana in his body has been tainted, that's why he's behaving as though he were locked in a dream. It's not physically life threatening, but he's not going to recover without intervention either."

As the group looked on, Grace clasped her hands and gazed at Vayla with entreaty.

"Can you help him? Can you heal this?"

Vayla closed her eyes, bowing her head.

"As skilled a healer as I am, this isn't something I or any other can deal with without help. To restore his mana to normal, I would need the help of a unicorn." Seeing the hope in Grace's eyes crumble, Vayla hastily added. "But I know where one is. We might be able to get his help, but it will take several months before we might acquire the means to rouse him."

Raine came over, curious.

"What means? And why would we need them to rouse the unicorn?"

Vayla looked at her over the sleeping Pietro.

"The unicorn I speak of, Darsa, sleeps at the bottom of Lake Umacy, protected by a multitude of enchantments that repel intruders. Not even an alurannai can reach him, and so that leaves only one being in the world that could wake him for us... Undine."

Genis gasped.

"The Summon Spirit of Water?! But how would we get her to help us?"

The smile came back to Vayla's face.

"Easy... Either I, Sheena, or Lloyd make a pact with her and summon her at the lake. We're heading to the Seal of Water to release the Seal and wake her anyway, and adding a detour to Lake Umacy and then here to Hima onto the end of Collette's journey won't delay us reaching the Tower of Salvation by a great deal. A couple of months at most. By the time the fourth Seal is released, the mana levels in Sylvarant will have risen considerably, so delaying for a few weeks at the end won't make anyone suffer, and it would mean saving Pietro from the prison that his own body has become to him." She turned to Grace. "Tend to him as you have, so that he eats and drinks as he should. I promise you, if we can get Undine's and Darsa's help, we'll save him." Her eyes moved to Lloyd next. **We need the pacts with the Spirits anyway, so helping him isn't a big deviation from our path... and as a plus it gives us a free pact where we don't have to worry that Yggdrasil will see us make it. A mercy mission is all too alurannai, he won't see it as anything big since a single pact with a Spirit he no longer has the right to summon won't endanger his power base.**

Lloyd's sigh was minute, so tiny that his chest didn't even appear to move.

**Two birds with one stone, though it would have been nicer if the second 'bird' wasn't someone trapped in a mana taint trance.**

Even as she calmly told Grace that no thanks were needed, Vayla replied in his head.

**Pickers can't be choosers, Lloyd, and we have a task to do for the sake of the worlds. Saving Pietro, an innocent, is a bonus and one I'm more than happy to make a small detour for... And speaking of Summoning, you and Sheena are going to start getting night lessons in summoning arts as soon as she reaches adolescence and can go without sleep. It doesn't matter which of you is the Chosen, we need **_**both **_**of you to hold pacts with the Spirits. It's a times like this that the ability of the Alurannai to share pacts becomes very useful. Start thinking of a Vow Lloyd, and get Sheena thinking of one as well. Heck think of one together, it doesn't matter if you Vow the same thing, just make sure it's a good one.**

Again the tiny near impossible to hear sigh.

**Start planning the lessons then, because Sheena's been twitching a lot lately. She's good at hiding it, probably her Mizuho training, but I've definitely seen her scratching her arms and the sides of her face when she thinks no one's looking...**

The stunned silence in his mind told him Vayla hadn't noticed this, and so once again it seemed the 'twin syndrome' between him and Sheena was one step ahead of her.

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"Gaahh!"

Collette shot upright in her bed, peering around the room she shared with Sheena. It was dim, the faintest light coming through a gap in the curtains over the room's single window telling her it almost dawn.

"Sheena? Is something wron... oh!"

The black haired girl was sat on the edge of her bed in her plain dove grey, short sleeved nightgown... A nightgown that had been torn at the shoulders by the green tendrils now gracing the girl's shoulders.

Looking up at Collette, Sheena blushed.

"Umm, sorry... It just kinda caught me off guard... Looks like I've caught up to Lloyd... Well almost since I don't have my wings yet... But my back is itching like crazy and something's snagging on my nightgown so I think my body is dealing with that already..."

Collette giggled, getting out of bed. A couple of minutes later and Sheena was out of the damaged nightgown and wrapped in her blanket instead.

"I'll go get Vayla. She'll probably have something to get rid of the itchi..."

The door of the room opened.

"I have clothes for you to wear until you shed the growth casings from your wings as well. I'll modify all of your current clothes to leave gaps for your sarren if you'd like me to."

Clutching the blanket around her, Sheena stared at her mother who came into the room carrying a bundle of clothing.

"M-Myrta... How did..."

Vayla smiled as she set the bundle on the bed beside her daughter... Not about to admit to her that Lloyd was the one that pointed out to her something she should have spotted herself.

"I'm your myrtasi... What did you expect? Here, try these on. I used these when I first became an adolescent, and I think they should fit. You can wear your usual leggings and boots with them, the colours match luckily enough."

It was again a few minutes later that Sheena was wearing a pale grey tunic with the usual short sleeves and holes at the shoulders, the open back that exposed the newly forming growth casings of her wings hidden by the loose drape of cloth that went all the way around the tunic's v-neck collar like a kind of poncho except short over the shoulders and round the front, and long at the back.

Examining the wide lilac trim on every hem, Sheena compared it to the colour of her boots.

"Almost exactly the same shade... Are you sure you didn't get these made up for me?"

Vayla laughed, as Collette smiled at the comment.

"No, I'm sure. Lilac happens to be one of my favourite colours. One more thing..." **Can you hear this?**

The girl twitched, as Vayla gave Collette the look that said she'd just used mind speech.

"Hey, I did. I heard that... That means I can hear Mezo now!"

Leaving her mother and Collette standing there, Sheena sprinted out of the room and down the stairs, heading for the lean to out back where Noishe and his fellow Protozoan were sleeping.

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A reverberating snore and a discordant whistling emanated from the open door of the lean to. The two Protozoans inside oblivious to the extremely happy alurannai girl bearing down on them. The sky was just lit with the pale glow of the imminent sunrise, but it was more than enough for the newly adolescent girl racing towards the sound of her Protozoan partner which she could now hear even when she had the inn between him and her.

The discordant whistle became a startled squawk as the Aeros suffered a rude awakening via a crushing hug.

**AAAHHHKKK! AIR! NEED AIR!**

Sheena let go of him as Noishe extricated himself from the rafters having leapt there in fright at the Aeros' yelling.

"Sorry, Mezo. I think I'm a bit stronger than I was last night... He he."

The Aeros stiffened, before slowly looking down at the girl knelt on the floor next to him, seeing even in the dim light the sarren framing her face. What proceeded next was an absolute racket of happy barking and crooning in counterpoint to Sheena's shrieking with laughter as Noishe gave her face a good coating with Protozoan drool and Mezo preened her hair so much it tickled.

Sufficient to say... no one in the inn was asleep by this point. When Sheena came back in with the two Protozoans in tow ten minutes later, two bleary eyed half-elves were sat at the table with a disgustingly awake Lloyd, Collette, and Vayla.

Her crèche mate grinned at her, not surprised in the least by the overnight change.

"So it finally happened. I was beginning to wonder, what with you keeping scratching when you thought no one was looking." **Don't count on sleeping tonight, or tomorrow, or until your myrta decides we've learnt what she thinks we need to know about summoning... When we get to the Water Seal and Undine wakes up... **_**Both**_** of us are making a pact with her. We need to think up a vow.**

Sheena flinched, her mother frowning. Seeing it, she smiled brightly.

"I'm not used to mind speech, I need to remember to expect it from now on."

It was at that moment that an exceedingly cheerful and also very awake Grace came in with a pot of porridge, setting it in the middle of the table before heading back into the kitchen to get the bowls and spoons for the group. Watching her, but not actually looking at her, Lloyd acted normal as she sat down beside him... Acted normal even though he could sense the terror in her heart right now...

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The two crèche mates climbed ever upwards, following the looping road higher and higher, heading for the viewing plateau that they weren't that far away from now. Vayla, Collette, Genis, and Raine had all gone to get supplies and winter gear, since the three who would be wearing it were needed to be present to ensure it fit right. Left to their own devices, Lloyd had suggested to Sheena that they go to check out the view. In the meantime Noishe and Mezo had gone back to their lean to, with Corrine heading with them for a bit of a gossip. As cold as it was here, it was still too soon for snow, but as they glanced up at the top of the mountain the town stood on, the snow cap that was there all year round had in fact been slowly growing, inching downwards over the past couple of weeks. The group of course would be long gone from here by the time the first snows fell, and hopefully would arrive in Luin just seven weeks from now.

"It's weird, not feeling the cold... Thanks again for showing me how to control that ability, and the others too." Lloyd glanced at Sheena, but no smile came to his face as they reached the viewing plateau. Confused, Sheena stopped at stared at him as he walked to the edge of the currently deserted plateau. "Lloyd... what's wrong?"

He didn't look at her, letting the sense of his feelings reach her mind to mind... He was concerned, and a little upset.

**You didn't flinch this morning because you weren't used to mind speech. Vayla might have believed that, but she couldn't feel the sheer terror that went through you when I mentioned us making a pact with Undine... Why are you afraid, Alysii? And don't try to lie, because even if you don't use mind speech to reply, I can tell if you aren't being truthful from your emotions... You're broadcasting them to me like an amplifier right now.**

Sheena stood there, immobile, looking at his back.

"..I-I uh..."

**Fifth Precept of the Alurannai: In times when one is certain, act as one would believe is right for the greater good... If you don't tell me, then I'll pull rank and make you...** He turned now to face her. **You know I can, Alysii. As a member of the Nartana I can literally **_**force**_** the words out of you with my will, but I'd rather you tell me of your own choice.** The feeling of hurt in his 'voice' intensified as he frowned. **Don't you trust me? Alysii we **_**have**_** to make the pacts, for the sake of both worlds. If you don't speak out and face it, how can you expect to deal with your fear?**

Sheena flinched, looking at the ground. After several moments, she took a deep breath and 'spoke' so he'd sense she was telling the truth without have to track her emotions.

**The people of Mizuho found out I could summon just a year after I was found. I was taken to the Elemental Research Laboratory in Meltokio to help with an experiment. They were trying to create a man made summon spirit, but every time they called it forth it kept fading away again. The theory was that if a summoner was present, the spirit would remain tangible enough for long enough to form a pact, which would then stabilise it... The theory worked, and Corrine was the result. They kept Corrine, while I was taken back to Mizuho. I was so upset at having him taken away, that when I turned seven some wise guy decided that if losing Corrine made me depressed, then getting a new spirit would stop me sulking... So they took me to the Temple of Lightning and forced me to try and make a pact with Volt... I... I failed, and the fear I felt then gave Corrine the strength to break free from the Laboratory and come to me but when he came it made it wor... I... Please don't make me say any more... Please... I'm not strong enough to face that... Not yet...**

Lloyd gaped in shock, Sheena dropping to her knees shuddering as tears flowed down her face and fear shadowed her eyes.

**I heard from Vayla when I asked about my ata setting the backups into the Seals. She said at the time that about eleven years ago, that would be nearly twelve now, something made Volt go completely ballistic. It was so bad that Krishka had to bind him so he can't attack my ata when he puts the backups in the Seal of Lightning...** Lloyd walked up to her, kneeling down and putting his hands on her shoulders. **It was because you tried to make a pact... Volt's First Test was the Test of Faith and Trust, two things he'd placed in Yggdrasil only for them to be betrayed in the most terrible way possible... It's no wonder he'd freak out if someone who didn't even want a pact with him, was brought to him to make one. You being alurannai would have only made it worse... It's a pity he lost it though... If he hadn't then **_**he**_** could have told Vayla where you were **_**years**_** ago. You don't have to tell me any more, but remember that we'll need to face him eventually... But you won't be alone next time...**

Sheena lifted her head, looking up at him. Sensing her need for reassurance, Lloyd pulled her into a hug as she spoke.

**Thanks, Lloyd... As long as you're there, It think I'll be alright... I don't think anyone could ask for a better 'nanu' than you... And about a Vow... I think I have one. 'I Vow for the sake of all, to do what I must to restore the mana for the sake of the World' ...With 'World' meaning 'Symphonia'... That should keep Raine, Genis, and Collette off track until Myrta says we can tell them what's going on... They're not likely to pick up on the word 'restore' unless we let something slip...**

Lloyd smiled over her shoulder.

**Sneaky and cryptic... Your myrta will love it...** He got up, speaking normally this time as he pulled her to her feet. "Well since we're up here, we really should take a look at the view." As they walked up to the edge of the viewing area, he leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Even if the view is spoiled by that piece of Yggdrasil's oversized ego..."

Sheena began to chuckle, as the two of them stopped and looked out over the mountains... ignoring the pearly white tower in its halo of reflected light...

----------------------------------------------------

"I look stupid..."

Genis sighed as he stood there in the thick fur lined coat they'd tried on him... It was the smallest one the clothier had, and unfortunately was of a style that would be difficult in not impossible to alter and still have it look like a proper coat and not a messy mistake... The problem was it was long... Had it been a short style the fit would have been perfect... but instead Genis looked like a little silver haired pixie in a thick furry dress.

Raine glanced at Vayla, the alurannai woman looking back with an identical grimace.

"Do we really have to get _every_ piece of winter gear from a normal shop? He can barely walk in that thing, and although I know he'll be riding in the sled, if we get into a fight with monsters on the road he's going to be left a sitting target."

There had been ample things to fit the half-elven woman and Collette, and in truth a coat for Genis was the last thing on their 'to get' list.

Collette plucked at the hood of her coat, a pretty thing of leather, fur side in, bleached white. A little altering with blue dye on the edges and it would look quite striking as a representation of her blue trimmed white as the Chosen of Mana.

"Raine and I both have something really nice... It's not fair for Genis to be stuck with something like that..."

Her resolve weakening, it broke at the pleading expression on Genis' face... Why did alurannai adults have to be such suckers for kids?

She sighed, and doing something she said she wouldn't, she reached out and relayed her thoughts through the Sentinels to reach out to a specific mind in Nae Shiu.

**Livian... Can you do me a favour and come to Hima with everything you need to make a thick winter coat for this boy?**

Vayla projected the image of a pitiful Genis in the too long coat... The response was instant.

**I'll be right there! There's a Sentinel ten miles from that town. Just stand out in the street and I'll find you.**

Grimacing again, Vayla lifted the coat of Genis and hung it back on its rack.

"Let's pay for the last of the things we've picked and get outside... The 'cavalry' will be here in about twenty minutes..."

Sure enough, twenty minutes later as they stood as requested out in the street, an alurannai woman with bright blue eyes and an equally bright smile came striding up to them, brown hair tied back neatly into a bun. She took one look at Genis and began to mother over him.

"Poor thing, that coat looked dreadful. Let's get back to whatever inn you lot are staying at and I'll make you a proper one."

Genis stared at her, startled that she had 'seen' the coat. Raine was little better as she glanced at Vayla.

The ebon haired woman looked a little embarrassed.

"This is Livian, the wife of my crèche mate Hasran. Her chosen profession is seamstress, so she's an expert at making all types of clothing." She linked her arm with Livian's and led her towards one of the shortcut paths. "The inn we're at is up here."

Two bemused half-elves and a smiling Chosen followed them... Wondering just what other strangely cheerful people they were going to meet... If Tasha and Livian were any indication...

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"Inmyru Livian!"

The alurannai woman was enveloped in a pair of hugs from Lloyd and Sheena, who threw themselves at her the moment they saw her come in the front door of the inn. Beaming as she hugged them, she then pushed them back to arm's length and took in the sight of these two alurannai children she hadn't set eyes on for the better part of fourteen years.

"Oh it's so wonderful to see you two safe and sound. But, as much as I'd love to chat with you, Vayla asked me here to make a coat for your friend Genis. There's apparently nothing here in Hima that will fit him and be ready for you all to leave tomorrow."

Lloyd and Sheena accepted the statement without hesitation. Raine however was a little baffled.

"How can it be possible to make a winter coat, with all the layering it needs, tailored to fit Genis, in just a single night? That coat they had would have taken a full day and a half to alter to a shorter length and hem properly."

Livian smiled at her, even as she proceeded to pull a sewing box and various swatches of different coloured furs and leather out of her ver so she could pick colours to suit the young mage. Setting them all on the table at the side of the common room.

"Dear, you're speaking to an alurannai, remember that... I can have a winter coat of that description made in about two hours... If you'd care to watch." She glanced over a Genis, who was actually unsure enough that he'd half stepped behind his sister to hide. "If you'll come over, Genis, I need to measure you and decide on a style that will suit you."

The young mage inched over, stopping in front of her. Two seconds later and a muttered spell from Livian, a series of lines of light flicked around him and vanished as the alurannai woman muttered the measurements she'd just taken to herself. Flipping through the various samples of the furs and leathers she had in her ver, she came to a decision, put all the samples away, and pulled out two stacks of about three hides each of two different colours. One of fur, and one of leather. The fur was long stranded, and of a grey almost the exact same shade a Genis' hair. The leather was dyed a dark blue, with lighter blue mottling covering it in blurry patterns. Moments after picking the materials, she laid the fur out on the table and with a further two spells, laying out a pattern lines of light on the hides with the first, and cutting along all those lines at the same time with the second.

Watching as the seamstress picked up the first pieces, piercing holes through the durable hide to run the thread through using magic rather than an awl, Vayla chuckled at Collette's, Raine's, and Genis' expressions.

"Alurannai can generate moderate amounts of mana, remember... Over the millennia our people have developed all sort of little spells we can cast with that mana to do things quickly and efficiently... She'll have that coat done in the time she said, just you watch."

And watch they did, as piece by piece Livian assembled the inner layer of the coat with the fur side in, pulled simple stand to hang it on out of her ver, and began to sew together the second layer, fur side out, attaching it to the first layer so well that once she was done the two sides of fur became indistinguishable. It almost looked as though the coat were made from a single hide with fur on both sides. As soon as the inner layers were done, the blue leather was spread out and cut as the fur had been, this time Livian stitching with thick pale blue thread rather than the fine grey from the work on the fur. As the outer layer of the coat came together, she stitched through it to the inner layers, binding all three together even as she created a pattern on the coat matching Genis favourite shirt, which he had been wearing under his original coat from Iselia. It was thus just a little over two hours after she started, that Livian dropped the completed blue coat onto Genis' shoulders and helped him get his arms into the sleeves and fasten it.

Genis examined it with awe. It fell to mid thigh and looked no thicker than his old coat, but he'd had it on barely ten seconds and he was already sweltering inside of it. Blue patterned leather stitched onto grey fur to leave a grey edge around the bottom, the cuffs, hood, and all the way down the front, to say it looked magnificent was an understatement.

"Wow..."

Livian looked down at her handiwork and the look on his face with a smile.

"See, I said I could make it fast. When you've lived as long as I have, you learn a few tricks."

Genis chuckled, grinning up at her, now completely at ease.

"Yeah, you did. Hehe."

The rest of the evening was spent admiring Genis' new coat, as Livian indulged them all with a spot of storytelling about silly things the Greater Summon Spirits were rumoured to have done over many years past.

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**Alaia Skyhawk: A few minor plot points and some filling in of certain things... and a rather cute scene of Genis getting a new coat. I'm rather pleased with this one. :)**

**Also 'nanu' means brother, and 'Inmyru' means Aunt.**


	24. Long Snowy Road

**Alaia Skyhawk: More travel... but some fun too. :)**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 24: Long Snowy Road

-

Two figures crept towards the sleeping ebon haired woman, inching towards her with wide grins on their faces. Scarlet wings glistened in the faint light of the just risen sun, and short dull grey lengths that poked out from under lilac trimmed grey cloth rattled faintly. Taking a deep breath, both adolescent alurannai leaned down from their positions either side of the sleeper's head and yelled at the tops of their voices.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

Vayla's shriek, as she literally light jumped out of her sleeping bag to hover several feet up in the air, caused Lloyd and Sheena to burst into fits of giggles as the equally started members of the rest of the group leapt bleary eyed from their tents fumbling for weapons. Vayla didn't sleep in a tent unless the weather forced her to... a pity it had made it all the easier for Lloyd and Sheena to prank her.

Lloyd continued to grin as Vayla drifted downwards again to land.

"He he he, the look on your face... Priceless."

Glaring at the two grinning youngsters, all the while remembering a similar occasion that had occurred at a spot some four weeks travel from here almost five thousand years ago, Vayla landed and regarded them sternly... or at least trying... She had a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"You two should know I don't celebrate the birthdays between each danne any more... You're a year early."

Sheena continued to grin as well as she replied.

"So? This journey is just day after day of trudging along, so you think we're going to pass up a chance to do something a little different?"

Vayla sighed in defeat, as Raine stumbled over having realised they weren't under attack. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, school teacher regarded the ebon haired alurannai.

"It's your birthday? You never said your birthday was coming up... How old are you?"

A moment of panicked thinking later, and Vayla came up with a little white lie that would hopefully satisfy the half-elf, but not actually involve telling her her exact age.

"As I told my myrtu and Lloyd just now, I don't celebrate anything but when I reach a new century. My age ends in ninety-nine now if you must know, though like many women I tend not to admit my exact age. Though I will admit I'm seven months younger that Lloyd's atasi, Kratos."

Truth was Vayla was perfectly happy to say exactly how old she was... just not to a ruin and history obsessed half-elf who would almost certainly upon hearing it would begin a barrage of questions about various historical events, not unlike the time when Yuan had pestered her and Kratos about flying and driven the two of them to distraction.

A small smile tugging at her lips, as she accepted the explanation and the joke about women hiding their age that it contained, Raine chuckled.

"Well by all means, let us celebrate this birthday that ends in the number ninety-nine. I'll go make us some breakfast."

A split second later Raine was cut off by Genis wearing his new coat sprinting past her to get the cook fire going... and effectively cutting her off from cooking anything... Vayla had been teaching Raine her special recipe for porridge, but after the last time she'd tried to cook it one morning her brother was taking no chances... After all, when you go to pull a stirring spoon out of a pot of porridge, you don't expect it to pick up the whole pot...

----------------------------------------------

It had been a week since they'd left Hima, Livian having returned to Nae Shiu, though not until after she'd stitched, not dyed, blue edges onto Collette's new coat after calling dying such edges to be sacrilege against such a well made item. She'd even modified all of Sheena's clothes to leave gaps for her sarren, bar the black assassin gear which the girl had burned at the first opportunity after joining the group. The memories of that evening of sewing and story telling with Livian were just one more piece in the picture of the lives of the Alurannai that was slowly building in the minds of Genis, Raine, and Collette. What they had seen so far was an image of a people that worked together, looked out for each other, and never failed to help one another if asked. They were friendly, open, and prejudiced against no one. They didn't discriminate at all against those of other races, and in fact the trio had born witness in Hima to Vayla actually offering to go out of her way to help Pietro who was a complete stranger with no actual bearing on the success of the Regeneration Ritual. The Alurannai treated the world as kind of an extended community, just like their practice of groups of couples having children at the same time to raise them together, created the extended families that clearly encouraged and promoted that sense of community. That view though was somewhat naive, for at this time none of the three would ever suspect the sheer magnitude of the flow of secrets running right under their noses. Quite simply, they accepted that Vayla as an individual would have things that were private personally that she wouldn't share, or not share until later... but as a Race they couldn't picture the Alurannai hiding something quite a big and important to the future of the world as the Plan.

Genis, Raine, and Collette weren't the only ones guilty of this naivety though, as Yggdrasil was at this very moment being beguiled by a similar carefully contrived illusion of passivity with regards to the Alurannai's actions within the system he believed he was in total control of... with no idea that at this moment his control over Tethe'alla's Seals was now totally compromised, with Sylvarant's Seals about to taken as well. Wrapped in the illusion of security his ego and sense of superiority had created, not even noticing the silence on the parts of Krishka and Maxwell who had not gone out to renew knowledge of the Prophecy, he had no idea that his footing was nowhere near as secure as he believed it to be. This was the true nature of the Alurannai... the ability in their honesty and open acceptance of others, to beguile them, to fool them, so completely that never once would suspicions rise... All for the sake of saving the world they were sworn to protect.

The sounds of deeply sleeping people and Protozoans filled the camp, the slumbering individuals completely oblivious to the silent lesson going on between Lloyd, who was the night watch, and Sheena and Vayla who were only feigning sleep. A day of laughter, of finding a few tiny flowers, the last blooms of the year, to make a little bouquet to give Vayla as a birthday present. This day's hike along the south side of the last of the Hima Mountains, which they would circle round in order to reach the forests north of the range, it had been little different from the many days this journey had already seen, and the many more yet to go.

Looking up at the sky, at the stars that were just beginning to be obscured by the clouds that had begun to gather the past week, Lloyd thought back to the night at Hima, where he had snuck up to the viewing plateau to look at those same stars. He'd now seen them from a mountain, but not a mountain top. His father still had the chance to fulfil his promise, for until the time came for them to head south again, to the Palmacosta Region, they wouldn't be going up the sides of any more mountains.

**Lloyd! Pay attention!**

He flinched, jolted out of reverie.

**Sorry, Vayla.**

Attention back on the lesson at hand, he remained sitting there for the rest of the night as Vayla continued her recitation of Summon Spirit lore and the theory of Summoning Arts. She would stop two hours before dawn, the time when she would take Lloyd's place as official night watch. Only then would he and Sheena get to sleep for a while. There was still so much to learn, and while it would still be many months until they got as far as the Seal of Water, time could not be wasted. Thirteen years of learning time had been lost... Thirteen years where both he and Sheena should have been taught levels of summoning arts that young alurannai usually weren't taught until they'd reached their second danne. Vayla had to take this time, these night hours during the journey, to prepare them. They still had so much to learn... and they were slowly running out of time.

-----------------------------------------------------

"Well, Efreet, that's the last one here..."

Kratos got up, veiled even now by the illusions he'd maintained over himself constantly since his waiting at the Ice Temple for this Seal, that of fire, to be released.

The Spirit didn't move, giving no outward indication that he knew the Inartu of Aluran was even there bar his speaking. After all, now that he was awake he could bar any angels from entering his sanctuary... And had in fact reduced one to ash that had arrived to check the Seal just a couple of days after Collette had released it. But that while that meant he could stop angels from coming anywhere near close enough to hear the conversation, it wouldn't stop Yggdrasil from using the Eternal Sword to check on the Seal from a distance. That was one thing Krishka had been adamant about, not blinding the sword to the Seals, though he could make the faint trace of Kratos under his illusions vanish beneath that regard. It was a minor inconvenience though, and easily dealt with.

"None of the other Seals have been released yet... What will you do now?"

Kratos sighed.

"Let's see what Vayla has to say about the progress of the Ritual first." Just as Vayla had done in Hima two weeks prior, Kratos relayed his thoughts via the Tree Links, searching for her presence until he found her due west of the end of the Hima Mountains. **Vayla, it's Kratos. I've just finished installing the backups in the Fire Seal. I'm guessing from where you are you're heading to the Seal of Light?**

The response was faint, consistent with the alurannai woman running two mental conversations at once. It appeared she was talking to someone else right now and keeping them from hearing him.

**Yes, we're five weeks from Luin, putting us about eight and a half to nine weeks from the Tower of Mana... You planning on skipping ahead to the Seals of Wind and Water? I got word from the jiisumura in those areas and they said any angels there beat a hasty retreat not long after we left where you are now.**

Kratos chuckled.

**Efreet disposed of a nosy angel... I would guess Yggdrasil didn't want to risk him deciding to check up on the Seals of his fellow spirits to do some spring cleaning... Seeing as it was nearing spring down here at the time. Yggdrasil only has about two thousand Cruxis Crystals left in his stores, he can't afford to waste angels by having a Greater Summon Spirit take an exception to them being at a Seal. The only members of Cruxis safe at a Seal right now are Yggdrasil himself, and Remiel who as Collette's Guardian the Spirit's won't touch... Yes, I think I'll head to the Water Seal, and the Wind one after that.**

He heard a faint mental chuckle in return, followed by a sigh.

**Hurry and catch up, Kratos... Man I wish you're mother were here with me right now...**

Kratos frowned, confused.

**Why?**

The next statement was rather bemused.

**Because I'm not a teacher and Amilae is... Who knew getting a pair of adolescents to concentrate through intense tutoring was so hard... Maybe you'll have more luck with it than me... I don't seem to have the knack.**

Kratos smiled, picturing the look of long suffering he knew would be on Vayla's face right now.

**Lloyd or Alysii?**

**Both...**

Sensing her end the conversation, he glanced up at Efreet who had listened in.

"Well I guess I should be going. Until the time comes to make the pact, Efreet. Farewell."

Kratos walked away, stepping onto the teleportation panel and vanishing, leaving the Spirit alone in the chamber once more.

"Yes, Kratos... Until then, I shall wait."

---------------------------------------------

"Ahhhgg, these things are driving me NUTS!"

As the entire group turned to see Sheena trying to scratch where the growth casings of her wings met her back, Lloyd sighed and pulled a jar of anti-itch salve out of his ver as he walked over to her. It was the one he'd used all those months back, which still had quite a fair bit in it. Taking the lid off, he scooped a decent amount out with his fingers and proceeded to apply it to the complaining girl's back.

"I don't get it, my wings were finished growing after two weeks, but it's been that long and the growth casings of yours aren't even at full length yet."

As Sheena sighed with bliss as the salve took affect, Vayla grimaced.

"I hate to break it to you, Sheena, but if you take after me you still have a week and a half to go... Mine took three and a half weeks... Lloyd is lucky, fast growth runs in his family."

Sheena's face fell as if it had taken a leap off a cliff.

"What? Aww man..."

As they got walking again, Lloyd put away the pot of salve and tapped her on the shoulder, waving Collette over discretely as well. As soon as Collette was beside them, he spoke in a hushed voice.

"You two ready? ...I can't believe Raine has forgotten... I can't believe _Genis_ doesn't even realise what day it is either... Then again they don't have perfect memories to keep track of what date it is over all this travelling."

Collette giggled, giving Lloyd a small salute.

"Agent Collette reporting. I will go speak to the 'victim'... He he."

As the blond haired girl strolled from their side as the group walked along, Lloyd and Sheena watched hiding grins as she caught up with Genis and started chatting to him.

"Let's see how long it takes him to catch the hint..."

Bright blue eyes cheerful, Collette began stage two of 'Operation GTB'.

"Hey Genis, what did you get Lloyd and Sheena for their birthday that's coming up? I'm not sure what to get so I was wondering what you did."

Completely unsuspecting, Genis looked up at her, not really noticing just how much he'd grown over the past few months. When the journey had started his head barely reached her shoulder, but was now as high as her chin. Making him a little over three inches taller.

"I kinda got stuck on that as well. I'm gonna see what's at the market in Luin, since the one at Hima wasn't that great for finding presents at short notice. We were there for less than a day after all."

Lloyd and Sheena were smothering giggles as they walked along behind. Genis didn't have a clue.

Collette looked thoughtful as she continued, the picture of innocence.

"I wonder what everyone will get me for my next birthday... I've never celebrated by birthday out on the road before. I wonder where we'll be by then. I wonder if we'll be in pine forest like this..."

Genis thought this over, trying to think how far away her birthday _was_.

"Um, well we're heading up into the main part of the Asgard Continent... Most of the forest north of the mountains is deciduous, and most of the land is grassland... I don't think we'll be in pine forest for that..."

Collette sighed.

"Oh well... Hey Genis, what's that number again, the one that's supposed to be unlucky?"

Genis groaned. He knew Collette could hold a random conversation, but going from birthday presents, to places they'll be for birthdays, to asking about an unlucky number, was random even by _her_ standards.

Almost as if they could see his train of thought, Lloyd and Sheena had to cover their mouths to stop themselves bursting out laughing... Collette had practically spelt it out him and he still didn't see it.

"Collette... The number is thirteen, and people only _think_ it's unlucky. There's no proven fact that the number thirteen is any different from any other number apart from its assigned value... Why do you want to know about that anyw..."

His expression froze, and in that moment of sudden suspicion Lloyd and Sheena could take it no longer and burst into peals of laughter that brought the whole group to a halt.

Hands on hips, Raine glared at the two disapprovingly.

"We aren't on a field trip, you two. Behave yourselves. Genis is only twelve and he hasn't messed around half as much as you two have these past few days."

It was too much, and deciding to end the game, Lloyd pulled a package out of his ver and tossed it to the confused young mage.

"Except he's not twelve anymore... Happy thirteenth birthday, Genis!"

Genis, now holding the package he'd fumbled to catch, gawked at his best friend as Collette also began to laugh.

"You're a teenager now, Genis! Happy birthday!"

Seconds later Genis could be heard telling Lloyd and Sheena to put him down as they man handled him onto the back of the grinning Arshis in the group for a special birthday ride. Meanwhile Raine had brought a hand to her face in surprise.

"It's his birthday? I completely forgot!"

The laughter of the three conspiring youths echoed through the trees, as Genis saw the funny side of it and began laughing as well before attacking the plain wrapping paper on his present. Thirteen wasn't such an unlucky number for him, after all he had friends like these here with him... This was certainly a first for him, a birthday on the road. And as if to add one more special note to the day, from the clouds above small white flecks began to drift down through the air... It was the first snow of winter...

----------------------------------------------------

"Well there is it, the Great Asgard Forest. It runs all the way from here to the entrance of the canyon where the City of Asgard itself resides. We've been going through scattered woodland up until now, but now is the time for you to see a _real_ forest. And if you're going to mention the Iselia Forest, bar the part at the far end of the peninsula, the part you've been is positively civilised."

That final comment was directed at Genis, who had been about to mention that exact forest. Sighing in resignation, he walked over to Lloyd who was waiting ready at the edge of the eighty foot cliff drop between them and the trees below.

Vayla had warned them in advance about this, about how to take this short cut they would be required to navigate a few descents before they reached the main level of the lands of this past of the Asgard Continent. Those descents were the series of cliffs they would encounter over the next few miles, of which this was the first. Each time they reached one those in the group who couldn't fly, bar Noishe who by virtue of his agility could leap ledge to ledge downwards, would be carried down by Lloyd and Vayla. Two exceptions after Noishe were Sheena and Collette. Sheena didn't have the hang of the 'mana bubble' yet, but now, with it being a few months since the Fire Seal was released, the mana levels had risen enough that both she and Collette could use their wings to parachute down even though the levels were still far too low to support true flight.

Lloyd picked him up, and as Genis closed his eyes, leapt from the cliff and descended gracefully as Noishe bounded down from ledge to ledge behind them. Sheena picked up Corrine, she and Collette leaping off to follow as Mezo watched over them, leaving only Raine and Vayla at the top.

The half-elven woman glanced at her friend, giving her a wry smile.

"It's just as well none of us are afraid of heights."

Holding up her arms, she turned her back to face Vayla as the woman had seen a young blond haired boy do so many times long ago before he got wings of his own. Vayla hesitated only a moment, as the unexpected moment of pain, from thinking about Mithos as he was, faded back beneath the emotional block she'd placed over all of her memories of those times... Maybe, once all this was over, she could face those memories in full once again, but for now she only allowed herself brief recollections that would rise to the surface and shatter back into the depths like an ephemeral bubble of the past.

She picked Raine up by gripping her around the waist, lifting her off the ground before walking the short distance to the cliff edge and leaping off. It was awkward carrying someone as tall as you were this way, but avoiding the amusement the youngsters in the group would exact from her carrying Raine any other way was worth the hassle. Lloyd and Sheena had been difficult enough to keep focused on their night time summoning lessons as it was.

She carried Raine down to where the rest of the group now waited for them, the faint echo of a remembered conversation with a four year old boy, haunting her during the descent.

_'Vayla, what's it like to fly?'_

_'It's a wonderful thing, it gives you the freedom of the sky, the freedom to see things in a way none who just walk on the land ever will.'_

_'But the heights is scary. What if you fall?'_

_'Yes, I might fall, but if I do I know that I can always count on my friends to catch me.'_

_'If I ever fall, will you catch me?'_

_'Yes. If you ever fall, Mithos, I'll promise I'll be there to catch you...'_

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Blue eyes apprehensive, Collette eyed the canopy above them anxiously as faint creaks and groans came from above. It had snowed heavily over the past week since they'd descended the cliffs, but almost none of it had reached the ground under the trees. All of it lay on the dense branches above them, having defied gravity to form a near solid roof of snow with just a few gaps here and there were the branches had been too far apart for the snow to settle in this strange formation.

Vayla glanced back at her, taking up a 'teacher' tone to distract her.

"In times past people called this forest the White Cathedral. No one knows what makes the snow here settle as it does, when in truth it should collapse long before it forms a solid sheet overhead. There are many stories, many possible explanations, but none have ever been proven. This forest is one of the unsolved mysteries of the world, and that is part of what makes it special... Not many people come here anymore, not with all the monsters that dwell here now, but maybe one day when a new Giant Tree comes to be, this place will be the haven it was back then."

The ploy worked, and Collette's eyes were filled with curiosity.

"The White Cathedral... It's a perfect name..." She now looked around at the frost coated trees and forest floor, and the whiteness above, with awe and wonder before a small thoughtful frown made her look at Vayla again. "I thought you said people don't come here now because of all the monsters... but I haven't seen any at all..."

Lloyd covered his face with a hand in resignation, as Sheena cleared her throat.

"Um... We have about twenty watching us right now..." At the startled glances of the Chosen and the two half-elves in the group, she walked off to one side and picked something up. It looked like a little white mushroom, but with a pink tinged cap and what looked like two beady little eyes on its fat 'stem'. "It looks cute, but if anyone but an alurannai tries to touch it, it will try to take their hand off." The 'mushroom' made a tiny little bleating sound that actually made it seem even more cute. Sheena put it down and glanced at Mezo. "Do you want to demonstrate?"

She moved away from it as Mezo reluctantly nodded and inched towards it. As soon as Sheena was more than five foot away from it, and Mezo less than three, the 'mushroom' gave a hissing shriek and hopped towards the Aeros with the obvious intent to latch onto one of his legs.

With a flap of his wings, Mezo leapt backwards as Sheena stepped between him and the little creature, causing the thing to stop in its tracks and blink up at her oh so cute again.

Collette actually gulped as she searched their surroundings and saw little pink capped 'mushrooms' all around them.

"Um... How long until we get out of this forest?"

Vayla glanced at the little creatures all around them and sighed as Sheena took up her place as the left hand rear guard again, Lloyd keeping the things at bay on the right, and she herself at the front.

"Another week and we'll move out onto the plains. We have to if we're to circle round to the north shore of Lake Sinoa to reach the West Causeway Bridge into Luin."

It was Genis and Raine's turn to look nervous as they spoke in unison.

"A week?!"

The trio huddled together, Mezo hopping along on one side, Noishe pacing on the other, with the three alurannai in the group standing guard to all sides as they continued on their way... With Vayla glad Sheena had only pointed out the 'mushrooms'... She hated to think how the three would have reacted to the strangling vine that had been six foot to their right, and the larger more animal-like plants that had been posing as bushes just two foot beyond that...

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"Finally! We're out of there! Whoa!"

Genis, who had charged out from under the edge of the trees, yelped as his feet broke the crust on the snow beyond and he ended up sinking right up to his waist in it.

Sighing, Vayla brought out the sled and three pairs of snowshoes. Donning one pair herself and passing the other two to Lloyd and Sheena before setting about getting Noishe into the hauling harness of the sled.

While she did this, Lloyd, now safe from sinking through wearing his snowshoes, trotted out to where Genis was stuck and pulled him out with a laugh.

"Well at least we now know how deep it is." He hefted Genis and tossed him bodily in the direction of the sled. "Head's up, Vayla. Flying mage!"

"_LLOYD!_"

Genis yell of surprise was cut off as Vayla caught him with ease and put him in the sled where it rested in the shallow snow at the edge of the forest. He scowled at his best friend half-heartedly as Collette and Raine also got into the sled, shifting around until it ended up with the two girls side by side at the back and him in front sat in the small gap between their legs. The next moment a near mountain of blankets were dropped on them by Vayla who had taken them from her ver. They didn't need telling to wrap up. Sat still in the sled, they would get cold very quickly if they didn't.

As soon as they were comfortable, packed around with so many blankets only their faces and their hats were visible, Vayla looked at Noishe and gave him a nod.

"Ready when you are, Noishe."

Mezo took flight, while Lloyd, Vayla, and Sheena who had Corrine on her shoulder, all set off a long striding lope that looked almost like they were leaping from step to step. They were going at a speed that would be considered a flat out run for a human, except they were wearing snowshoes crossing snow that was almost three foot deep. Anyone not an alurannai or a Crystal user would have collapsed with exhaustion from it after less than a hundred yards, but as it was the trio hardly even worked up a sweat.

Seeing their friends leaving them behind, the three in the sled were about to ask Noishe what he was waiting for when he suddenly hunched his shoulders and kicked out with his hind legs. The first few seconds as they slowly picked up speed his paws were sinking deep into the white blanket, and then as if by magic he sank less and less until they found themselves gliding along and catching up to those ahead. When he reached them, Noishe slowed a little to match their speed, but it didn't affect him. Vayla had been right, once they were going fast enough, an Arshis literally ghosted over the surface they were running on.

Sat in the sleek and narrow, low sided sled, the metal runners hissing over the snow, Raine, Genis and Collette looked around in wonder at the endless expanse of white surrounding them, the forest fading further and further into the distance behind them.

---------------------------------------------------

"We're stopping here for the rest of the day. I know we've only been going for five hours, and I know I've said this already, but it's not a good idea for Noishe, Sheena, Lloyd, and I to exhaust ourselves by running for the usual ten. It's not that good for you three to spend too long cramped up in that sled either."

Wincing as they got up and stretched out their stiffened limbs, the occupants of the sled had to agree. They'd spent three days of travel in it now, and even at only five hours each day they were beginning to see it as less of a novelty and more of torturous wait over hours where gradually even the slightest bump of the sled began to jolt their stiff bodies painfully.

Grimacing as he got a crick out of his back, Genis tentatively stepped towards where Vayla had used magic to strip snow from soil and started to set up the tents, wary of falling into unseen holes beneath the snow. Looking around, he suddenly froze in shock.

Out beyond the alurannai woman the remnants of walls and beams stuck up out of the snow, covering an area equal to quite a large town. Out here in the fields of snow, it reminded him of the desolate ruins of Triet City near the Seal of Fire, for just like that place the ruined building here seemed to reach for the sky pleading for rescue. The scorch marks of fire could still be seen. The notches hacked from beams by the blows of swords still possible to spot. It didn't take a genius to realise what must have happened to this place.

"Vayla... What is this place?"

The alurannai woman's eyes were sad, but there was a hint of distant anger in their depths.

"...Berritte... This town was called Berritte... It was attacked by Desians and burned to the ground nearly forty years ago. Half of its population were killed, a third of the remainder taken to the Asgard Ranch. Of those left, half perished before they managed to reach Luin, and the rest settled there, beginning over... Not that it helped much... Luin is attacked on average twice a year, though it's only rarely that it's severely damaged. Mostly the Desians just trash a couple of houses and snatch a few people from the streets."

The anger that was only faint in her eyes was all too clear in her voice, and hearing it, Raine walked over to her side.

"What's wrong?"

Vayla glanced up, before shaking her head and continuing to bang tent pegs into the ice hardened ground.

"There was a family that lived here, that my friends and I made friends will a long time ago. They knew we'd outlive them, so they promised to pass down the knowledge of that friendship to their descendants, promised that no matter what happened, should we even feel we needed their help, we could come here and ask the family. We never had to, it was more about the friendship, and the thought that counted... One of my friends joined the Desians... lost his way in his grief and anger over humans killing his sister... He's very highly ranked within the Desians now, so it's likely he was the one who gave the order for Berritte to be attacked... Ordered them to attack the home of a family that had sworn never to discriminate against those of other races, who had promised to be there for him should he ask for it..."

Collette had her hands to her mouth in horror.

"That's terrible! Why would he..."

As Collette stopped, unable to say more in her distress, Raine regarded her friend.

"It sounds like you still care about him..."

Vayla sighed, closing her eyes.

"He's gone far beyond redeeming himself now, proven again and again that he lacks the will to turn back, to turn away from the path he's walking... But a part of me can't help but still hope that he will..."

Raine fell silent, able to understand how a person can continue to hope even when they know it's pointless, and for the first time began to wonder at the view of the Alurannai she'd built up over these months... For the first time she'd seen a glimpse of something deeper, a faint trace of some conflict between the Desians and the Alurannai. A conflict not waged with fights on a battlefield, but rather by thwarting their plans in secret. In that context, Berritte was a place where the Alurannai had lost. Raine didn't say anymore, instead picking up one of the rolled up tents and taking it off to one side of the tent Vayla was working on. There would be no laugher and stories to pass the time this day, nothing in the evening... Not so long as they were in this place haunted by Vayla's feelings of failure.

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The steady drip of water, the distant roar of the waterfall that fed this underground lake, those were the only sounds to reach Kratos' ears. Allowing himself a small sigh that whispered over the gently rippling water that stretched out from the column lined island in the middle, he got up and examined the now finished installation. Eight deep blue fan shaped arrangements of crystals were seated firmly and irremovably over the eight mana contacts in the heart of the Seal. Those eight contacts were the actual points where mana flowed into the Mana Link the Seal governed one end of, and with the backups now in place over those contacts, when the time came the mana could be diverted through them to the relays within the Window of Illusion and the Otherworldly Gate. Idly running a finger over the edge of the Seal, Kratos had to admit it was a masterpiece of magitechnology even by Alurannai standards... But now it was nothing compared to the backups. Those backups did everything the Seal did with just eight carefully forged and bespelled metal constructs. Metal that had been covered with quartz of the element of the Seal they were to be put on, they looked wholly innocent, like a simple accumulation of crystallised mana on the contacts. Nothing at all to worry about.

Smiling, that smile hidden beneath his veil of illusions, he walked away from the Seal and towards the teleportation panel that would take him out of this chamber on his way out of the temple. Pausing before stepping onto it, he checked the contents of his ver, checked the two remaining sets of backups... Wind and Light... Just two to go and he could finally seek out his son...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Well there it is. Happy reading :D WOOT, this fic is now past one hundred thousand words!**


	25. Double Celebration

**Alaia Skyhawk: If you're wondering where I've been the last week, I've been making ToS Animations. The Links are all at the top of my profile.**

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**1) ****Path of Restoration: Intro Animation**** (If Path of Restoration were the game, this is what the intro would look like. This is a high quality anime style vid and it's the one that took the most time... Each pic took on average 2-4 hours (except certain flash sections which took less than an hour. The wide pan shot with the protozoans in took me 28 hours to draw and colour!! (Each character was done separate and took between 2-5 hours... Tsahi was a pain... all those bloody feathers . ) The full res of that pic is over 3500 pixels wide. You can see the still shot of the full thing in the gallery mentioned in the end credits. Click the tag under the resized pic to see the full size... and be prepared to scroll the window view sideways).**

**2) ****Lloyd's First Flying Lesson**** (A doodle animation of the scene where Noishe 'helps' Lloyd learn to fly).**

**3) ****The Reason... Mithos beat Gnome solo**** (Again a doodle. This is of the Test of Patience and a compressed fight with Gnome).**

**4) ****The Word...**** (Again... a doodle. This is of the scene where Kratos is putting the last backup in the Earth Seal and the Gnomelette is pestering him).**

**-**

**Please watch them and let me know what you think. I had too much fun making them for me not to find out if people like them (Note, 3 and 4 are hilarious).**

**-**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

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Chapter 25: Double Celebration

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The sound of three sets of feet running in snowshoes, the beat of wings, and the thudding cadence of paws over the hissing of steel runners on the white surface, these sounds accompanied what would undoubtedly be the strangest sight any in Luin would ever have seen. Sprinting towards the West Causeway Bridge of Luin were three alurannai, followed by an Arshis pulling a small sled and an Aeros soaring through the air above them. As they passed over the white blanket to the side of the road, a road that was four foot lower than them, a man on that route near fell off his wagon in surprise. Never in all his life had he seen people run that fast in snowshoes, not to mention the huge white and green wolf thing pulling a sled so lightweight and finely crafted that it was like something out of a fairytale by the standards of ones built in Luin. Gawking at them as they passed, he saw a blond head poke up out of the sled, the girl waving at him as her bright blue eyes danced with happiness.

"Goddess' blessings on your journey!"

It was in that moment that he finally placed the strange group... They matched the altered description sent out by the church just a few months ago. Staring in wonder, he watched them go.

"The Chosen..."

As she settled down fully in the sled once more, Collette looked forward to where Vayla led the way.

"Vayla, how much longer?"

The alurannai woman glanced back, not slowing her leaping stride in the slightest.

"About another ten minutes and we'll reach the start of the West Bridge, though we won't reach Luin itself until the day after tomorrow. The bridge, or rather bridges, link several of the smaller islands between here and the far side of the lake. They're too small to really live on, so the city never expanded onto them, but they are enough to support the bridges that form the western entrance into Luin."

The silver haired woman sat beside the Chosen frowned.

"A full day and a bit to cover the distance between here and the city? How far is it?"

Sheena, who had been this way a few months back, slowed a little before resuming her full run once the sled had pulled level with her.

"It's about two hundred and twenty miles from here, across the other side of the lake. Lake Sinoa is huge, and the clustered islands of the city only cover a tiny part of it near the eastern shore. If the lake weren't freshwater, it's actually big enough to be called a sea. It'll take about an hour at this pace to cross the first bridges to the third island out. It'll be getting dark then, so we should probably camp. The bridges are wide, but not wide enough to risk us running into someone coming the other way in the dark. We'll have about eight hours of light tomorrow, so if we take this pace for all of those, we'll be in Luin two hours after sunrise the day after that."

Vayla glanced back again.

"Sheena, I thought we'd agreed not to run like this for more than five hours a day. We can handle it, but as light as that sled is, it's not fair on Noishe for him to pull it for an extra three hours."

Sheena's expression became stubborn.

"But the day after tomorrow is mine and Lloyd's birthday... If we only go five hours tomorrow we'll have almost no daylight time left for looking around the city..." She turned her eyes on Noishe, who glanced at her sidelong even as he continued to ghost over the snow. "Noishe, will you please?"

It was then Vayla saw Sheena unleash a devastating weapon she hadn't used since she was little... The dewy eyed pleading expression that had regularly charmed other families' protozoans from fifty paces... Noishe didn't stand a chance...

He actually stumbled as the impact of 'the look' hit home, and unprepared for it in that moment he'd have done anything for her if she'd asked, no matter how silly or humiliating for him it might have been.

**I don't mind! Let's run all the daylight tomorrow! I'm up for it!**

Sheena's happy smile practically had the canine _purring_, such was the after effect of making her happy after she'd used 'the look'.

"Thanks, Noishe!"

Laughing with joy, she picked up her speed to pull a little way ahead before matching the pace of the sled again... all the while Vayla could only stare at her manipulating daughter...

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"Cold...! So cold!"

Genis shivered within his tight wrapping of blanket, huddling as close to the camp fire as he dared lest he set himself alight. Out here, on one of the tiny 'bridge islands' some twenty miles or so from the shore of the lake, there was no shelter from the pervading chill the nearby water imposed on the air. It was as if those waters, frozen solid where they met land, sought to pull every ounce of nearby heat into their depths.

Lloyd saw him shiver, and feeling sorry for him he put up a heat ward... much to Vayla's surprise.

"When did you learn how to do that?"

Lloyd glanced at her, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"You ask that, knowing how quickly alurannai children can pick things up? I learnt it from watching you. You've used it often enough."

Lloyd's tone, combined with the expression on Vayla's face, set Collette giggling in amusement. Sighing in resignation, the alurannai woman stared into the flames of the campfire.

_If only he would pick up summoning arts as easily... Getting him and Sheena to concentrate on their lessons is turning out to be a nightmare..._

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They had gone so far out across the lake now that all they could see was the bridge they travelled upon, the approaching tiny island, and water from horizon to horizon. As they raced along the wide wooden bridge, built upon pillars formed from pile upon pile of stones laboriously thrown into the lake and fused together with magic over countless centuries, Vayla had to marvel at the sheer teamwork needed to make it. These bridges, from islet to islet across the lake, had taken a full three elven lifetimes to build. The result of the Elves reaching out to teach and guide the first steps of the human race. Back then Humans hadn't known mistrust, deceit, or fear of the unknown. Newly created by Origin, bewildered in their sudden existence, they had happily accepted help and friendship when it was offered. Structures like this were the result, and they had endured the ravages of time even after the trust and friendships of old had faded into suspicion and fear.

Vayla glided down closer to Noishe, checking he was ok after pulling the sled constantly for the last seven hours. It was just an hour until the daylight faded, only an hour to go, but she still wanted to be sure he wasn't going to hurt himself keeping his promise to Sheena. She, Lloyd, and her daughter had abandoned the snowshoes for today, deciding that for the crossing it was safer to fly. Sheena, for all her lack of practice, wasn't doing that bad. Lloyd, who had become proficient by this point, was staying close to her just in case.

Noishe, he was clearly tiring, but he also had that stubborn look in his eyes that said he knew it wasn't that much longer, and he was determined to finish. Sighing, flapping her wings to rise higher again, Vayla turned her gaze on the islet ahead, and the three beyond it they would cross before nightfall.

_As stubborn as ever... He may like to mess around and play pranks, but his loyalty to friends and determination to keep to his promises has earned him more than a little respect despite his behaviour the rest of the time... 'Stubborn as a mule' they say... It should be 'stubborn as a Protozoan'..._

Vayla wasn't the only one keeping a close eye on Noishe, Lloyd too was keeping an eye on him. He could sense that Noishe was getting tired, and he knew from the way Sheena kept glancing at him that she was worried he'd be upset she'd convinced his Bonded partner to pull the sled for so long without stopping. Reaching out, he gave her a mental tap.

**Sheena, he was planning to do something like this anyway... You just beat him to the punch by asking him. He was actually going to convince Vayla himself yesterday once we'd stopped to camp.**

Violet wings faltering a little, Sheena fell a foot or so before she regained her composure and blushed.

**Was I that transparent? And here I thought I was keeping my emotions in this time.**

Lloyd's faint chuckle was torn away unheard by the wind of their passage, but she knew from his face he had.

**You are, it's just written on your face.**

The red tinge of her embarrassment deepened. If she'd been so careless with her expression while living in Mizuho she'd have given the worst village chores to do for a whole week. Sighing as she shook her head, she gave him a small smile before focusing ahead of them once more.

**Thanks for reassuring me...**

**Don't mention it...**

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Their arrival at Luin was climactic to say the least. The moment they crossed the last bridge that next morning, Collette had stood up in the back of the sled despite Raine's misgivings about her being on her feet while the sled was moving. Lloyd, Vayla, Sheena, and Mezo had all landed and formed up as escort, two on either side, and Noishe had immediately begun making a show out of pulling the sled at a slow and stately pace over the light covering of foot-packed snow that covered the cobbled surface of Luin's streets.

Collette's pink and gold wings glittered among the tiny falling flakes of snow that dusted down from the clouded skies, drawing gasps of awe from the people who stopped where they stood as soon as the group came into view. It took but a few minutes for word that the Chosen had arrived in Luin to spread through the city like a wildfire. By the time they'd passed through the Craftsman District, which the Western Causeway connected to, it would have been all too easy to bet that nearly half Luin's population lined the route to the Traveller's District, which was obviously where the Chosen would be staying. Gossip really spread when messenger birds were involved, so most people knew now that the Chosen and her companions had declined special treatment at every town they'd visited so far. It was only once they'd reached the district itself that the crowd finally thinned and people went about their business. It was Prayer day tomorrow, which meant it would be likely the Chosen would be leading the service at the city's main church. That they'd seen her was enough, for the people of Luin were practical and knew that for most of them a glimpse of her was all they were going to get. She had a lot to do, a long way to go, and delaying her just so they could speak to her or such was something the people of Luin wouldn't do... When you lived in a city where you ran the risk of dying or being captured for the Asgard Ranch twice a year or so, you tended not to want to waste people's time... After all when you know you could lose what time you have left so easily, you generally valued it a whole lot more.

The crowds gone, the snow still dusting down, Vayla began appraising the inns they passed. Picking up snatches of conversations within and using taint detection spells to check each inn's cleanliness. Most were good value by the talk within, and all were impeccably clean, which left her with a dilemma... Which one should they use?

"Well hello, Vayla. Fancy meeting you here..."

The group stopped in their tracks, all turning their heads where they stood or sat to look at the green eyed, brown haired man that looked at them with a smile from where he leaned against the front wall of one of the inns.

Seeing him, Lloyd stared in shock before breaking into a grin.

"Inanu Jason! What are you doing here?"

Still smiling, Lloyd's uncle walked over and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Here to wish you a happy nineteenth birthday, of course. I heard you'd likely be here in Luin for it, so I cadged a lift from the jiisumura at the Sentinel near Clear Falls. Mom and Dad would have come too, but for all three of us to vanish for an unknown number of days would have raised questions in the Safe Town. They're just telling people there that I've gone off on one of my little 'hiking trips'. 'Hiking trip' being the family term for going off to visit relatives the people of Clear Falls don't know about." He looked around the currently empty street. "As for me, the people here just think I'm taking a short break from travelling before moving on... None of them even recognise me after twenty years away. I was only a kid when the family left."

Raine clambered out of the sled, having had enough of sitting cramped in it so close to where they'd be staying the next couple of nights. Eyeing Jason speculatively, she spoke.

"'Inanu'... If my memory serves, that means 'Uncle'. So you're another of Lloyd's 'adopted' family?'

Jason laughed, even Vayla cracked a smile anticipating Raine's reaction that Lloyd had actual human relatives.

"No, I really am his uncle. My sister, Anna, is his mother. She and Kratos had a 'love at first sight' moment and things just went from there."

Raine stared, startled.

"An alurannai marrying a human? But that means she won't even see Lloyd reach adulthood. That means Lloyd's father married someone who he'll lose after less than a century."

In that moment, realising the awkward situation that had been created, and that the three who had ridden in the sled couldn't be told Anna was a Crystal User, Lloyd hastily covered.

"Ata and Myrta love each other. Does it really matter how long they'll live? We exist in a world where any of us could lose our lives at any time, so what's racial lifespan when you consider it like that?"

The point struck home, and although neither Vayla nor Jason sighed outright, Lloyd saw the faint glimpse of relief in their eyes.

Raine, conceding that Lloyd was right, let the subject drop before regarding Jason once more.

"So... Since you've clearly been here for a while, could you recommend an inn?"

Jason tilted his head, indicating the inn he'd been leaning against.

"This one's pretty good. I'm staying in it, and I know they have three or four rooms free at the moment. The food's not bad either."

Collette walked up to him, looking concerned, having gotten out of the sled along with Genis.

"Mr..."

Jason smiled.

"R'fernon, Jason R'fernon."

Collette smiled a little back.

"Mr R'fernon, if you spend time with us for Lloyd and Sheena's birthday, people will know you know the alurannai... Won't that put you in danger from the Desians when we move on to go to the next Seal?"

He patted her on the shoulder, touched by her concern.

"The Sentinel I arrived here through is just a few miles from here. I'll head back there and ask the jiisumura there to take me back home. I'll be fine. My big sister would never let the Alurannai hear the end of it if they left me to wander all the way back to Clear Falls on foot."

"You mean she'd never let _Kratos_ hear the end of it..." They all turned to see a familiar white wolf cub sat at the entrance of an alley between two of the nearby inns. Dalli gave them a canine grin. "So you got a ride here... Did you ever think to visit Anna first? She had to send her and Kratos' present for Lloyd with a certain someone who's with me..."

In response to the end comment, an alurannai man in a dark orange reta, with jet black hair and ice blue eyes, stepped out into the open, his gaze fixed upon the dark haired girl who stared at him with a startled expression.

He smiled.

"Hirrepili, Myrturu."

Sheena took a step forward, before sprinting across the street and into his arms.

"_Ata!_"

Vayla sniffed a little, wiping a tear from the corner of one eye.

"He's waited as long as I have to see this... To hold his little girl again."

As the rest of the group watched, she too walked over to the newcomer, and moments later all three were in one tight hug as they were all together again as a family after over thirteen years apart.

Collette was teary eyed at the reunion, and even Raine looked like she might search her pockets for a handkerchief at any moment. Genis looked a little wistful, having never known his own mother and father. The two Protozoans in the group looked as sappy happy as the two women... And lastly off to one side a saddened Lloyd watched as his uncle put an understanding hand on his shoulder... knowing it would be a while yet before he got to see his own mother and father...

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"Why didn't you want to go to see the city fountain with Vayla, Sheena, and Rennan? That fountain is really a marvel to see. It's more than fifteen thousand years old."

Jason sat beside Lloyd as the two perched on the edge of one of the beds in the room he and Genis were sharing.

Lloyd looked very distant, and not a little lost.

"I just miss my parents... and seeing Sheena with both of hers reminds me too much... I wanted time to think and get a grip on my emotions before we have that little birthday party Genis and Collette are planning." Seeing the querying look on his uncle's face, Lloyd explained. "They keep forgetting how sharp my hearing is... I overheard them talking about it a couple of days ago while they were riding in the sled and thought I wouldn't hear." He sighed. "I just wish I could see them... My ata, and myrta... Even if it was just for a few moments. It's the better part of fourteen years since I've set eyes on them... and I just..."

Jason gazed at his nephew with sympathy and understanding, putting an arm around his shoulders and giving him a reassuring hug.

"They want to see you just as much as you want to see them... But Anna can't leave Nae Shiu right at the moment, not now that she's practically leading the Alurannai all on her own with Breuntas away... for a reason I wasn't told." His expression at that end comment was self depreciating. "Kratos is off on some kind of big important errand, so he can't come either. Ma and Pa can't come because the people in Clear Falls would get suspicious... So that leaves just me..."

Lloyd looked up at him, a little embarrassed at what his attitude right now would look like.

"I'm sorry, having you here is great. I haven't seen you since Noishe dunked you in that puddle when I was four. Seeing you again for my birthday is... Um... You ok?"

Jason had turned beet red with embarrassment.

"...And the alurannai perfect memory strikes again... I should have realised you'd remember that when you recognised me so easily."

Lloyd began to chuckle, his depression lifting as he pictured that event so long ago.

"Oh of course I remember it... The look on your face afterwards... pricele... AHHH!"

The teasing remark was cut off as Lloyd's thirty year old uncle proceeded to tickle him mercilessly, something which then quickly degenerated into a full scale pillow fight between the pair...

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Arcs of water soared for the heavens to fall gracefully once more into the crystal pool below. The city fountain, situated on the north-western shore of the Market District, was a wonder to behold. It was a true piece of ingenuity, powered by gravity alone. The cliff face it was built into was the highest of all of the city islands, and hidden up on its peak was a deep pool of water that was connected to the fountain's sprays by a gradually narrowing channel. By the time the water reached the fountain, the pressure of what was above forcing it down through the ever narrowing gap sent it reaching skywards as soon as it was freed through the various openings of the structure. The pool itself was fed by a natural spring, the flow through the fountain carefully set to be less than that of the spring so that the pool would never become empty and the fountain stop. Once the water had left the fountain it fed into the island's wells to be used by the people,. Once again the people of the city turning something beautiful into something that was also still practical.

Sheena sat on the rim of the fountain, listening to the falling water as she and her parents looked out across the lake.

"When I think about the all the time we were apart, and look at things now... It's almost like a dream. It's like I was walking around all those years without really seeing things, like there was a veil blocking my sight, and now everything is so clear."

Rennan sat down beside his daughter, putting an arm around her shoulder as she leaned against him.

"That's just the way it works. You were lost, so you instinctively locked away your memories to protect yourself. You suppressed your perfect recall, through you still remembered everything you saw and heard and experienced, and so now that you have it back you think through all those memories where you couldn't recall things perfectly and it seems like you were walking around with a bag over you head."

Sheena smiled.

"That describes it exactly. It _was_ like I was walking around with a bag over my head... It makes me wonder what it was like for Lloyd though. Where I was it was in my favour to be intelligent, but for him being stupid was the best defence. He has thirteen years of memories of being a total _dunce_ with a bag over his head. It must have been really weird for him to suddenly be so smart again." She sighed, tugging at one of her long purple gloves, gloves that Livian had altered to leave gaps for the sarren on her elbows back in Hima. Her voice became quiet. "He was really upset back there, outside the inn. I still haven't got the hang of keeping my emotions from him all the time, while he's really good at it... but even so, for a split second before he hid it, I felt how sad he was that his parents aren't here. It doesn't seem fair. I get to travel with you Myrta, and you're visiting Ata, but Lloyd hasn't even gotten a visit. He's seen neither of them for so long and now he has to watch while I have you beside me..."

The two alurannai adults immediately looked somewhat guilty. Such had been their joy at the reunion of their family in this place, they hadn't stopped to consider Lloyd's feelings. He had been alone for so long, but had shown no sign of his yearning for his parents... He was too good at hiding it...

Vayla sighed, sitting down on Sheena's other side.

"At least he has his inanu here, that's something... Kratos is at the Seal of Wind right now... and he can't do the Seal of Light until after we've been there and released it. That means it's still going to be more than two months before there's even a _chance_ he can join up with us."

Sat on the edge of the fountain, here on this day of Lloyd and Alysii's nineteenth birthdays, they sat and looked out over the lake...

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"This market is so cool! All of the ones in Triet together are tiny compared to this!"

Genis' eyes constantly moved from one sight to another as he, Collette, and Raine headed down one of the many 'streets' between the hundreds of stalls situated in this central part of the Market District. The Market District consisted of a double row of shops that ran around the island's edge like a pair of concentric rings, with the huge market area set inside the space those shops left in the island's centre. Here, sheltered from the wind by that double ring of shops, the market stalls could operate all year round in all but the very worst of weather. Luin was a huge city, it's population numbering over two hundred thousand, and with numbers like that, a few hundred stalls would get more than enough business to warrant the effectively permanent 'Market Day' that the city ran. If stalls only opened once a week, the crush in the Market District on those days would have been impossible to handle. Thus, the only day of the week when the market would be closed was Prayer Day. Just as well for the Chosen's group since that meant the group's two youngest members were able to do some last minute birthday present shopping, with Raine acting as escort.

Speaking of the half-elven woman, she too was actually taking this chance to pick up a few presents for future birthdays... After all, who knew how long it would be before she had a chance to browse such a large market again.

Glancing over at the two youths, she chuckled to herself as they chattered away to each other about what things on the stall they'd stopped next to that they thought Lloyd or Sheena would like. Vayla had once again doled out pocket money, leaving the two of them with plenty to spend since they both still had most of their pocket money from Izoold and Hima left. It had been more than eleven years since she'd last set foot in this town, back when Milleisi and her friends had helped her and Genis get to Iselia. It didn't appear to have changed much at all.

Continuing her reminiscing as she followed her brother and Collette through the market, listening to their chatter, she simply enjoyed this moment of peace in her rapidly more complicated life.

_Times like these should be cherished, for this journey is dangerous and as skilled and strong as Vayla is there'll always be the chance something will happen._

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The two of them walked along the narrow street, passers by staring curiously at the younger of the two for his strange appearance. As the two continued on, the passer by would resume whatever it was they were doing, but before long the youth would find himself being stared at by yet another, and yet another after that, on and on as they walked through one of the Residential Districts.

Lloyd sighed as he and Jason passed another, getting increasingly annoyed.

"Geeze, don't they know it's rude to stare. Half the city saw us arrive earlier, you'd think they'd have got enough of a look back then."

Jason patted him on the shoulder.

"They would have been too busy staring at Collette to have really noticed you then. It's not that surprising they're so curious now. C'mon, we're almost to the house. I want you to see the house where Anna and I spend most of our childhood. we're almost there."

After tidying up the mess they'd made with their pillow fight, Jason had offered to show Lloyd around Luin and take him to some of the places he and Anna had played when they were young. It had been a glimpse into his mother's past for Lloyd, a chance to know more about her when in truth he knew very little. Not much had been said of her past before he'd ended up with Dirk, and now he was getting the chance to learn. The two of them had been walking around for about three hours and to be truthful it was starting to get dark, but this would be their last stop and Jason was determined Lloyd see it. With the Prayer day service tomorrow, and replenishing the group's supplies at the market to do, there just wouldn't be time to do it then.

Following his uncle, Lloyd did his best to endure the stares of those they passed. He hadn't minded it that much back in Izoold and Hima, since the people there seemed to just take it in their stride and give him just a brief glance, and in Triet Oasis his sarren had been kept covered up. But now here in Luin he was becoming increasingly upset by it, probably because his parents weren't here to support him and since he was still just a very young child by Alurannai standards, his instinctive wish was for them to be there to shield him from it. All he had however was his uncle, who could do little to stop the stares other than clear his throat meaningfully whenever a bystander got a bit too curious.

Lloyd hunched his shoulders, ducking his head down as he continued to let Jason lead him through the Residential District, wishing he'd worn a cloak or something since he was walking around in just his trousers, shirt and reta in what was sub zero temperatures. Against the thick coat Jason was wearing, he stuck out like a sore thumb. He began to mutter to himself, wishing and wishing and wishing he could just disappear or something. A split second later the most curious sensation came over him and all of a sudden he felt like his sense of his surroundings had gone dull. He stopped in surprised, trying to figure out what had happened.

"Huh?"

Jason stopped and turned to see what had distracted Lloyd. It took all of a second's glance before he began to chuckle.

"I think you just solved your problem Lloyd, although you need to put a coat or something on to blend in completely." He walked up to the youth, and tapped him on the side of his face. "You hid them."

In shock Lloyd brought his un-gloved hands up to his face, finding his sarren to be gone. Checking his shoulders and elbows, he found empty gaps in his clothing that revealed only smooth bare skin and not a trace of green in sight.

He broke into a grin.

"I've adjusted! That means I can put my wings away now too!" Just to prove a point, he did just that, willing them away with the same method he used to will them solid so they'd stay under his reta. "This is great! If I don't want to be stared at I can just put them away now!" He touched the side of his face again, as that strange sensation came again and he found his sarren trying to come out again. Forcing them back with his will, he grimaced a little as skin that had tinged green became flesh pink again. "But it looks like I need to practice keeping them put away. It feels like wearing clothes that are too tight." He fidgeted, twitching his shoulders. "My wings don't like it either..."

Jason chuckled, clapping him on his now tendril free shoulder.

"You'll just have to keep at it then until you get used to it." He took his coat off, pulled off one of the three jumpers he was wearing underneath, and tugged it down over Lloyd's head. "Here, with this on you at least look like someone who's making a quick trip out. The kind of trip where people wouldn't bother with wasting time piling a thick coat on."

Getting his arms into the sleeves, Lloyd reached under it and unfastened the front of his reta so he could pull it down and out at the back. Folding it, he put it in his ver. Without the pale blue sticking out of the bottom of the jumper, Lloyd now just looked like a town youth who, as Jason said, was on a quick trip where a thick coat might not be bothered with.

"It feels kinda weird. With my sarren in it's like I've turned off one of my senses. My sense of the air pressure around me is nonexistent now. Everything feels muffled."

Jason smiled.

"Well you can describe it more to me later, but right now we'd better get moving before it gets dark. C'mon."

The two of them set off once more, only this time no one stopped and stared as they passed...

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"Hi, Corrine."

The little fox-like spirit glanced down the slope of the roof to where the wolf cub-like spirit strolled up it towards him.

"Hello, Dalli... What's a big time Spirit like you hanging around as a pup for anyway? You keep cropping up to check on Lloyd, but you also always seem to end up doing something silly. Like when you played fetch with that kid in Izoold."

Dalli settled himself next to Corrine on the peak of the roof, his expression a little amused.

"So you noticed I'm not what I seem... I can't say I'm surprised, most Spirits spot it right away anyway." He glanced at the street below, at the people passing by down there unable to see either spirit who were both concealing themselves as their kind could. "I'm Dallinius, the Summon Spirit of Unity and Third Sumara Lord. The Kharlan War diminished my power and I became like this. I've' been like it ever since." He chuckled. "When you go from big proud wolf to little pup, you tend to gain a new perspective on things. Truth was I didn't interact that much with people before I was diminished, losing my power taught me to live alongside them better... You could say I learned a new facet of Unity from it... Friendship... Since then I've discovered I have a thing for little kids... I can't help but enjoy making them smile. Fetch happens to be my favourite game as 'Dalli', who you could say is my less serious alter ego. When things call for formality, I'm 'Dallinius', my more serious side."

Corrine mulled this over for a moment, before nodding in agreement.

"Sounds like you have things settled. As for kids, yeah you've gotta love them. They're so innocent, so willing to accept the people around them unconditionally. They don't look at you and expect things, they just accept things are they are and when you play with them the smiles and laughter they give back make me feel all fuzzy and warm. When Sheena was young, after I got out of the Elemental Research Laboratory and made it back to her, she was sad a lot of the time, but she never failed to smile when I tried to cheer her up. Once she was older she didn't need the comfort as much, but I still liked cheering children up, so I started playing with them whenever I got the chance... Sheena always likes to see others happy."

Dallinius remained silent for a moment, glancing sidelong at Corrine.

_He's Verius, I can sense it... but does he know?_

After yawning, he continued.

"If you don't mind my asking. How did you end up in that laboratory?"

Corrine looked a little startled, and a little uncomfortable.

"Um... They sort of 'made' me... They used some weird machine to pull mana together to form me. I vaguely remember several glimpses of the lab, but it was only once Sheena was there that I didn't fade away again. She promised to always trust me, that was our pact, but I'd been in her arms no more than a moment before I was taken from her and locked in a special cage that I couldn't teleport out of... And Sheena was dragged out of the lab screaming for me... They didn't care that they were separating Summoner and Spirit Partner... all they wanted was a spirit to study... It didn't matter that they were hurting us... It was months later that I 'heard' her scream, felt her terror. In that moment it was almost like her promise to trust me pounded through me. She believed in me with all her heart, and somewhere she was in danger and I wasn't there to help her. All of a sudden the cage seemed so _puny_. I just smashed it in seconds and teleported out of the lab as the scientists all started shouting that I'd gotten out. When I appeared by Sheena's side Volt, the Summon Spirit of Lightning, was just about to kill her. I just glared at him, I didn't even say anything... and he just stopped in his tracks like he'd hit a wall. All I wanted was for him to stay away from her, and he did..." Corrine began to tremble. "But the people with her, who had taken her to the temple... Volt killed almost all of them, and when one fled he followed them all the way back to Mizuho and flattened half the village with lightning. Over fifty people were killed, and because of me Sheena didn't get so much as a scratch... And because she wasn't hurt at all... they blamed _her_ for what Volt did..." Corrine looked confused. "I don't understand why he stopped trying to hurt her when I glared at him... It was almost like he was afraid to hurt me..."

Dallinius regarded the spirit beside him, understanding in his eyes.

"So that's why Sheena is so jumpy about making a pact with Undine. I know she's told Lloyd, I sensed she'd told him why, though I didn't pry into it. It also explains why Volt flipped out eleven years ago, if they tried to make a seven year old amnesiac alurannai form a pact with him... As for why he stopped, maybe he saw the trust and faith you had in her, and she in you. Volt's First Test for summoners was the Test of Trust and Faith, to see it so strongly between you two was likely the reason he backed off."

It was a small lie, and a perfectly valid explanation, and it certainly would satisfy Corrine. Watching as the spirit nodded in agreement, accepting the reasoning, Dallinius mulled over what he knew to be the real reason.

_Faced with the Summon Spirit of Heart, the Second Sumara Lord, the command to leave Sheena alone that would have been in your eyes in that moment, he would never disobey... Even diminished as you are... The Greater Spirits, no matter how enraged, would never turn on a Sumara Lord... You clearly have no idea who you really are... Corrine... It took Sheena to call you out of oblivion, and it will likely be her that calls forth your knowledge of who you are once more... Telling you would be pointless, it's far better you rediscover it yourself..._

His curiosity satisfied, Dalli remained beside Corrine on the rooftop, watching as the people of Luin passed by down below. He would speak to Krishka and Maxwell later, to tell them of Verius' unknowing return...

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"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHEENA! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LLOYD!"

Having the inn common room pretty much to themselves, the other travellers staying at the establishment having gone to their respective rooms, the group and the three visitors all gathered around Lloyd and Sheena as the two nineteen year olds began to open their presents. They'd halted in shock when they'd first arrived to see a wingless and sarrenless Lloyd sat playing Rock, Paper, Scissors with his uncle. Jason had been losing miserably, with Lloyd beating him every time. When Lloyd had explained he could see the faint twitch of the muscles in his uncle's arm, as he brought his hand down to make his move, and know from how they twitched which one he was going to use, Jason had folded his arms in disgust and called Lloyd a cheater as those present burst into laughter. To make it up to him, Vayla had challenged Lloyd to the Alurannai version of the game... which had fifteen hand positions, not three... and royally trounced him. It was now, after the laughter had died down again, that the two youths were given their respective gifts.

Lloyd... He'd gotten a new pair of very good suspenders, picked by Collette and Genis, and a book on the history of Luin, since once he'd gotten his memories back Lloyd had shown a keen interest in learning new things, and since they were _in_ Luin it seemed appropriate.

Sheena... From Raine she'd gotten a simple necklace of teardrop shaped violet and tiny spherical white glass beads, from Collette and Genis she's gotten a bell bracelet which unfortunately didn't fit her. A moment's inspiration though found Corrine wearing the bracelet instead as a collar, and the little spirit was much taken with his new accessory.

The first gifts received, it was Jason's turn, and he handed Sheena and Lloyd a little hand carved wooden whistle each that he'd made himself.

Last of all, Vayla and Rennan handed out the gifts from themselves and from Lloyd's parents. For Sheena, there was a full set of the enchanted cards she used to fight, in the full range of elements, crafted by her father Rennan and enchanted by Anna who had long since mastered such magic. For Lloyd, there was a new pair of swords crafted by his father, heavier that the pair he'd gotten via Dirk which now seemed ridiculously light to him. Forged of one of the Alurannai's special alloys, they were no thicker than the average normal blade, but they weighed a full nine times more making them far far stronger, as they needed to be to handle Lloyd's full strength.

As the two youths admired their gifts, Genis and Collette commandeered the inn's kitchen to make party food, while Corrine jingled around the common room wearing the bell and Vayla attempted to teach Jason her people's version of Rock, Paper, Scissors which was impossible to cheat at as the rules stated the competitors had to keep eye constant as they made their move... Stopping the method Lloyd had used to beat his uncle.

Shortly thereafter the silver haired mage and the Chosen emerged from the kitchen with plates of food... of which Collette's was saved by Rennan's fast reflexes as she tripped over her own feet and fell flat on her face. As the standard 'whoops' was said, they broke into laughter once more as the double celebration continued well into the dark of night.

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A shadow slipped out of one of the inn's upper windows, scarlet wings briefly visible as they propelled the youth up onto the building's roof. Sitting himself on its peak, looking up at the darkened and starless sky as flakes of white appeared out of the shadows above to fall silently around him, Lloyd sighed.

"Where are you, Ata? ...When will you come?"

He didn't have those answers, wouldn't find them in this snow filled night. He could only do as he had done ever since he'd regained his memory... Wait...

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A faint chime resonated through the still and icy air, another backup in place. Sitting back on his heels, Kratos took a moment to shake off the several inches of snow that had settled on his hair and shoulders, sending a miniature avalanche tumbling to the snow covered stone he knelt upon. If there was one disadvantage to the Seal of Wind being on the mausoleum's roof, it was that it was exposed to the weather, though a good portion of the snow had been held off, or rather melted off, by a certain visitor.

Efreet glanced down at him, having paused here at the Seal for a couple of hours in the guise of looking for trespassing angels. He'd been somewhat disappointed, with not a single one being at any of the three other Seals in Sylvarant. It seemed Yggdrasil really wasn't going to risk wasting angels to a ticked off Spirit of Fire, and later ticked off Spirits of Wind, Water, and Light.

"Only another seven to go, Kratos, and this Seal will be done."

The Inartu ran a hand through his hair, dislodging some of the more stubborn snow from the auburn tresses.

"Only... I'll be glad when I see the back of these things. I've spent the better part of a year now sat motionless at the sides of Seals putting these things in... I won't be sorry to see the last of them go."

Efreet laughed, the snow stripped from the section of stone floor beneath him by the sheer heat radiating from him.

"Just think of how things will be once we rid the worlds of Cruxis and put things back as they should be. All this effort will be worth it as you stay here and finish what you've started." He glanced around at the snow that fell and melted around him. "And speaking of staying, I think I shall leave now. The Spirit of Fire in a cold place it one thing, but putting up with all this snow..."

In a soft flare of red light he was gone, the snow beginning to settle on the bared stone that had been beneath him once more. Allowing himself a few minutes to rest, Kratos mulled over his memories of the past few months and worked out how long it had actually been... His expression becoming shocked as he finished and found out what day it was.

He reached out, out through the Sentinels, searching... Searching until he found the sleeping mind of Vayla, the only alurannai in the Chosen's group he could locate at such a distance. About to 'prod' her awake to pass on a message from him to Lloyd, he sensed that one mind in the inn, or rather on top of the inn, wasn't sleeping.

Tentatively he brushed past the edge of that awareness, picking up the words spoken, which brought a hint of tears to his eyes.

_'Where are you, Ata? ...When will you come?'_

Touching his son's mind more firmly, he 'spoke'.

**I will come as soon as I am able... Happy birthday, mi unatu...**

He pulled away, breaking the link before a startled Lloyd could reply... But not before he felt the joy his son took from those few murmured words from his father...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Man this was a slow typer. Took me two days to get this out. :S Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you enjoy the videos. After all, I made them for you guys to see.**


	26. Heading to the 'Lighthouse'

**Alaia Skyhawk: This one is likely to be short.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 26: Heading to the 'Lighthouse'

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"INCOMING!"

"DUCK!"

Shrieks of laughter filled the air, as balls of white powder were flung back and forth, and not all of them thrown via mundane means. It was Lloyd, Genis, and Noishe, vs. Sheena, Collette, Corrine, and Mezo, the two boys and two girls throwing with hands, while the Protozoans and the spirit used magic. Each volley of snow in either direction heralded the targeted individuals ducking down behind the wall of their snow fort before jumping up again to return fire. The fight had gone on so long now that the snowballs being flung back and forth were made up of snow that had already seen several flights across the 'battlefield'.

Watching from a short distance away as snow forts slowly began to collapse and the snowball fight turned into a free for all, Vayla and Raine chuckled at how the youngster's... and not so young... were acting. The two women were sat inside the large tent the group used as a 'common' room during all the cold weather, each sipping on a mug of hot soup as they chatted away to each other.

Raine sighed as the players began to chase each other around and shove snow down the backs of each other's clothing.

"It's strange. Before we first set out on this journey I thought it would be best for Genis to stay in Iselia... But out here on the road he's ended up with a much closer 'family' than he'd ever have had there. I don't think he'd have been anywhere near as happy, despite the dangers he faces out here... I've heard Sheena and Lloyd call him 'anu' when Collette isn't around... Though if they're calling him 'brother' I find it surprising they aren't calling Collette 'myru'."

Vayla's response was little but a whisper.

"They know what will happen to Collette at the end of the Ritual... They learnt it before they went missing, from overhearing Rennan and I talk to Lloyd's family about escorting Collette through the Ritual... It doesn't stop them being friends with her, but it makes them hold off 'adopting' her as they have Genis. Genis is to Lloyd what my friend Yuan is to me and Kratos. A half-elf we travelled with, who became his closest friend and literally like a brother to both of us... He even named Lloyd after Yuan's father... _That's_ how much he's considered family. Collette... with the death sentence hanging over her, bringing her that close would not only be painful for them at the end of the Ritual... but it would also make it so much harder for her..."

Raine remained silent for a moment, her expression grim.

"It's obvious Genis still doesn't know though... He'd have been up in arms by now if he did... It just doesn't seem fair... That she has to go through so much only to..." She cut herself off, shaking her head. "Enough of such talk, I've dwelt on the subject far too much in my thoughts already to dwell on it now... I'm curious though, about alurannai families. I already know about crèche groups now, but I'll admit that the thought of your kind walking around with no interest in relationships until the reach five hundred seems rather strange to me."

Glad of the change of subject, Vayla chuckled.

"Ah, but we start taking an 'interest' when we get to around about our second danne. We just aren't mentally capable of contemplating having children have parental instincts until we reach adulthood... That doesn't stop us falling in love and getting engaged. Rennan proposed to me when I was two hundred and fifty-four, and he was just three hundred and eighty. Bear in mind that within ten years of reaching adolescence, an alurannai thinks like an adult in all but the parental side of things. Lloyd and Sheena are still very young by our standards, but in a handful of years they won't really act like adolescent teenagers anymore, but rather like young confident adults when compared to humans." She grinned. "They'll still have their silly moments though, like all people do." She regarded her friend speculatively. "Have _you_ ever had a love interest?"

Raine blushed.

"Well... One... He's visited the Iselia region a few times over the years. He wasn't able to stay around though, since he had responsibilities as part of a group of travellers. He promised me though that as soon as he was able to head out on his own, he'd come for me... He's such a hopeless romantic... I wonder what he thinks now... Since I don't doubt he must have found out I've left Iselia by now."

The ebon haired woman continued to grin.

"Well if he's the 'hopeless romantic' you say he is he's probably harbouring dreams now of tracking you down and sweeping you off your feet when he finds you."

Raine actually began to smile at that, despite her embarrassment.

"Probably... We're both half-elves, so it's not like he doesn't have plenty of time to find me. I'm only twenty-five, and he's only a hundred and thirty-two. We still have quite a few centuries ahead of us."

Vayla leaned back in the cushion she was sat on, letting her half full mug rest in her lap.

"Does Genis know about him?"

Raine sighed.

"No. I didn't want him to think he was holding me back. Genis would have wanted to know why I never left Iselia to travel with Ianir. Truth is I wanted Genis to grow up safe, and he would never have had that on the road. Ianir understood that, so he told me he'd wait for as long as it took... I haven't seen him for almost three years now. He was due to visit not long after we set out on the journey. Now I'm not sure when, or if ever, I'll see him again."

Vayla reached over, putting a hand on her arm.

"Have faith... I'm sure you'll find each other again someday."

Raine sighed and gave her a small smile of gratitude.

"Thanks..."

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The silver haired mage, now dry after the snowball fight earlier, flipped to a blank page in the dark blue, leather bound book he held, dipping the tip of the pen in his free hand into the tiny pot of ink he'd set on the ground beside him. From it the words flowed onto the page with a swiftness and surety that left the boy's hand a blur as he wrote, but Genis had discovered from experience now that when he wrote faster, and thought about what he was writing less, what he wrote always made more intuitive sense when he came back to study his spell casting notes later. Oblivious to the scribbling Genis, Corrine slumbered a short distance away among a cluster of dry leaves beneath a bush that had kept the snow off them. Twitching, murmuring disjointedly in the usual way of the dreaming, he dreamt the dream that had haunted him many a time over the years... That had haunted him ever since that strange burst of power that had allowed him to break out of the lab where he'd been imprisoned, that had haunted him ever since Volt had stopped when he'd looked at him.

'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

The strange blond haired warrior crossed his four arms and looked at a fiery wraith-like being, before turning towards a small platform upon which three men with auburn hair stood, each wearing an azure reta edged in gold, silver, or white.

_Alurannai... Their leaders... What is this place?_

"He is correct. The Sumara Lords may be more powerful, but we are also limited to influencing the areas close to our shrines."

_Why do I keep seeing this place?_

"Not only that, but for some of us our power is fading..."

Wait... Why does this seem so familiar?

As Corrine watched the dream, he saw as he saw many times before that all of the Spirits assembled around him, the alurannai on the platform, they were all looking at _him._ Everyone present was looking at him in shock, as one of the men on the platform spoke.

"How is that possible?"

The view he could see became the ground, as though his head had been lowered. He heard a voice that came from... him?

"This war is the result of the people taking the easy way out and fighting each other rather than trying to understand each other. As they continue to do this their hearts become weaker, and as their hearts weaken, so does my power. If this war continues for too long I will be forced to revert to a mere echo of my former self, drifting on the mana currents of the world until circumstances call me forth again."

_Echo?_

"I too suffer a similar problem."

The viewpoint changed, and Corrine found it now to hold a large white wolf, majestic and proud with crystals of many colours hovering in a pair of rings around his neck.

The shock was palpable, even caught in the dream. Corrine now _knew _the name of that Spirit... Had met him...

_Dallinius? How can I know what he looked like before he was diminished? That was almost five thousand years ago..._

'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

Corrine lurched awake, disorientated, the nearby mage too engrossed in his writing to notice the startled croak of the little spirit.

Corrine shook his head, trying to clear it.

"Dalli said back in Luin that Volt probably stopped because of the trust and faith between me and Sheena... but... I think he was lying... No, I know he was... The next time we meet at the Shrine of F..." Corrine stopped himself. "That place in my dream... That was the... the Shrine of Forces... In Aluran... How... How do I know that?"

The little spirit stopped, suddenly feeling the need for caution with Genis so close. Stopping his thinking aloud, he went to run through things in his head instead

"Corrine? Is something wrong?" It was Sheena. She skirted around the still oblivious Genis, heading for her close friend. "I sensed something bothering you. What's wrong?"

The little spirit sighed, and then indicated she should follow him. As soon as they were well out of Genis' earshot, he spoke.

"It's that dream again... I recognised someone in it... and a place in it... but I don't know how I know because the person in it, I know I shouldn't know what they looked like, because they look completely different all the times I've actually seen them..."

Sheena picked him up, stroking his ears to comfort him.

"Maybe you just _think_ it's them... But it isn't really."

"But I _know_ it's them! I..." Corrine stopped and stiffened, Sheena becoming concerned as she ceased her petting. "Sheena, put me down." She did as he'd asked. Looking a little confused, and also a little hurt. He looked up at her. "Remember how Vayla said when a summoner makes a pact with a Spirit they instinctively know the chant to summon them if they focus... I want you to focus on me and tell me what chant you sense..."

The adolescent alurannai frowned.

"But, Corrine, I already know yours... Why would I need to seek it again?"

"...Because I think there might be more to it... Please, Sheena... Alysii... I _need_ to know..."

His partner stared at him, as he stood there trembling with tension gazing up at her... Deep down he knew things might be about to change for him forever...

She relented and closed her eyes, and he felt her reach for him in that trance-like state a summoner took up when they were about to summon.

"...A tie of trust and friendship... Two s... Souls... No... No... It's... It's..." Her eyes opened, but they were distant, focusing on nothing even as they gazed at him. "I call upon the Lord of the Eternal Music. The beat that exists within all... I summon thee..."

She dropped to her knees with a cry, the trance shattering even as Corrine too collapsed with a choked gasp as those words unlocked a maelstrom of memories within him. Far away, a world away, in that place that had haunted his dreams, a symbol began to glow faintly, through the rose coloured light was but a dim reflection of its former glory.

It was several minutes that they sat there, the group nearby completely unaware of what had just taken place. Shakily regaining his feet, Corrine got up and gazed around with bewilderment even as he knew now exactly what was going on.

When he finally spoke, it was in a voice that was tinged with annoyance.

"That little white mutt... He knew and he didn't say anything... He could have told me then and there, but instead he leaves me to ask my Partner for a migraine..." He walked over to Sheena. "Sheena, are you alright? Helping me didn't hurt you, did it?"

The first part had been spoken as one sure of his place of authority within the Balance, the second as a bewildered little spirit that was worried about their partner... The two sides of what he now knew he was... Like 'Dallinius' and 'Dalli'...

"Sheena lifted her gaze up from the snow covered ground, her expression frightened, but it wasn't him she feared... She feared that she had lost her friend to what he really was...

"Cor... Lord Verius... I'm fine."

The title hit him like a sledge hammer, causing him to whimper. He crawled into her lap, wanting to be in no other place in this moment.

"Yes... I know that now... But I will still always be Corrine as well... In fact I think I'd rather you call me that." He chuckled as he felt her tension ease, felt the hope in her heart as she realised that nothing had changed between them. "We can talk more later... But right now I want to go strangle Dallinius..."

This moment, this moment Vayla had guessed would come at some point, it had happened here, in the middle of nowhere between Luin and the Tower of Mana... The last place you would expect a Sumara Lord, who had been lost to oblivion for nearly five millennia, to awaken again... And all because of a recurring dream and the remembered previous face of a soon to be pounded white wolf cub...

Giving her one last nuzzle, Corrine vanished from her lap to go looking for the one he owed a bit of payback to...

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Krishka, Dallinius, and Maxwell ... They sat here at the Shrine of Forces, the decayed remains of the stump of the old Giant Tree visible on the hilltop above them. They had been sat here for several hours, discussing the various matters that were of importance to the Sumara Lords. Dallinius had told them of what he had discovered, and also that a brief word with Vayla had revealed she'd suspected it for some time but had deigned to leave things in that regard to follow their own path much as he had decided to do. Now, having discussed the implications of the return of the long lost member of their number to exhaustion, Krishka looked around at the two none sealed, none amnesiac Spirits with him and spoke.

"The old powers are rising again, that which the weakness of the people took from the land, returning once again slowly but surely... All the while Mithos continues to ignore the worlds, and in doing so misses the few key signs that will show but for a short time before fading into concealment beneath my power. The Seal of Wind will soon fall to our control, leaving only one Seal left in his possession... And once the Seal of Light is released and Luna free to hide him beneath her aura, Kratos will be able to install the final set of Backups there, without any fear of being spotted, and complete the installation of the Bypass System... After that, all that will be needed to take the Hourglass System out of Mithos' hands will be to break the Mana Links, and even then, unless he were to watch them closely, he will not see the breaking and reinstating of the Mana Links through the Bypass that runs via the Window of Illusion and the Otherworldly Gate. The only sign will be the tremors of the land as the old Links collapse and the new ones take their place, and earthquakes in the vicinity of the Seals are all too common in the years after a Ritual. His own sloppy management of the changeover of the flow of mana in the past has provided us with the very camouflage that will leave him unable to see what is going on right before him... The time has come. The time for him to fall..."

Dallinius sighed, his less tactful side coming to the surface.

"A fact we have heard repeated at every meeting we've had in the last two decades. Get a new conclusion to your speeches, Krishka, it's getting ol... AHHHH!"

A bolt of light came down right on the end of the wolf's tail, causing him to leap up into the air. A split second later another came down, and another, and soon the wolf was dodging frantically as Krishka and Maxwell alternated between watching in bemusement and trying to spot where the barrage was coming from.

After several minutes, during which yelps and squeals came from the frantically dodging Dallinius whenever he wasn't quite fast enough, the barrage stopped and a small fox-like spirit appeared right behind him and gave him a firm kick up the rear sending his nose crashing onto the stone of the plateau.

"And that's what you get for leaving me to get a migraine instead of just telling me..." As Dallinius stayed nose down on top of the Crest of Unity, and Krishka and Maxwell stared in surprise, Corrine 'humphed' and walked over to the Crest of Heart that they had failed to notice now had a faint glow, sitting himself square in the middle of it. He gave them a long look. "So? Are you going to tell me what's happened while I was gone to the mana currents, or are you just going to stare at me? Some welcome back this is, when the Second Sumara Lord is left in the lurch and not told anything."

After staring a moment longer, a draconic grin slowly came to Krishka's face, as Maxwell began to chuckle over Dallinius' faint moans of 'ow'.

"I'd be happy to fill you in... Lord Verius... Welcome back..."

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It was several hours later that the little spirit reappeared in the group's camp. Raine, Genis, and Collette were all asleep, as were the two protozoans and their Bonded partners. The only one still awake was Vayla. He walked over to her where she sat near the dying embers of the campfire.

"Don't expect to see Dallinius around for a while... He's a little 'indisposed' right now... Seeing as I returned the favour of his leaving me to get a migraine by giving his rear a good kicking..." He saw the look of confusion on Vayla's face and gave her a canine grin. "Don't be surprised if I go formal on you in important situations... Though I'm certainly not going to stop playing games for the enjoyment of little kids... If Dallinius can do it, then so can I and mana be damned it they think it's weird... Whoever said Sumara Lords had to be serious _all_ the time?"

The alurannai woman gawked at him for a moment, before beginning to smile.

"Let me guess. Dalli had a chat with you at some point, figured out that you were Verius, and left you to find out on your own. Right?" She sighed. "As for me. I suspected, but I wasn't absolutely certain, so I decided not to say anything in case I _was_ wrong."

Corrine... Verius... laughed.

"Ah but my dear fellow Sumara Lord... He _did_ know for certain... And when I recognised something in a recurring dream I've had for years... recognised him, and the Shrine of Forces, from that day I revealed I would soon fade because of the war... I suspected there was more to me than I thought, and asked Sheena to sense out my Summoning Chant... She came out with my formal one, and unlocked my memory... Those scientists in the Elemental Research Laboratory will be _so_ disappointed when they learn they never actually created a summon spirit, only called forth a sleeping one." He looked over to where Sheena lay in slumber. "She's alright, isn't she? She was still a little shaken when I went to find the other Sumara Lords to tell them I was back."

Vayla followed his gaze with her own.

"_I_ never noticed anything strange... No offence, but I hadn't even noticed you weren't anywhere around the camp."

He chuckled.

"None taken... And just call me Corrine for now, that's the name Sheena gave me the moment I appeared in her arms... A moment I never want to forget... The first pact I've ever made..."

Vayla smiled, as the little spirit trotted over to her daughter and snuggled against her, drifting into a deep slumber of his own.

"And so another piece of the puzzle slips into place, another piece in our favour. It's good to have you back..." She chuckled. "..._Lord_ Corrine..."

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Yep, he remembers, and no, I'm not changing his name. Vayla's just being jokey at the end. Anyway, like I said, short... or rather my new definition of short... I used to think 3.5k words was LONG. O.o;**


	27. Seal of Light

**Alaia Skyhawk: And finally they reach Seal number two.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 27: Seal of Light

-

It rose up into the sky, framed by the mountains that flanked it to the west. Straight and proud, the tower stood out against that backdrop like a beacon, leading them to its doors and the test that awaited them within. Stood on the stone paved plaza before the Tower of Mana, the group stared up towards its peak several hundred feet high above them... A certain member of their number doing so with eyes that held a gleam of sheer raw excitement.

"The architecture! The symbols used around the central motif of the decorations are the same as at the Seal of Fire! This place must have been built by the same people!"

With bemusement, the group watched as Raine dashed over to where the symbols she'd mentioned framed the great double doors that were the tower's entrance... and pulled out the now familiar notebook.

Sheena, Corrine, and Mezo, having never seen Raine's 'Ruin Mode' at quite this level, all backed up a step.

"Now that... is kinda scary..."

Genis slapped a hand to his forehead, Vayla sighed in resignation, and the rest of the group just nodded in agreement.

"This... is _so_ embarrassing."

A moment later, having made the sketches she'd wanted, Raine tried to open the doors. They didn't budge so much as a millimetre, an occurrence that made concern override her scholastic insanity.

"Ummm... Are the doors _meant_ to be locked?"

That got the group's attention, and moments later they were gathered beside Raine as Vayla gave the doors a tug herself. Those beautiful golden doors, covered with elaborate scroll work... They now stood firmly between the group and their goal.

Collette lifted a hand, running her fingers over a complicated indentation that spanned the seam between the two panels.

"The key's been removed. Usually this place has priests here, priests who look after the great archive the tower contains. They must have left when the Ritual started, or were made to leave by the Angels... They probably took the key with them to keep thieves out."

Genis stared at her, a look of dread on his face.

"And that means..."

The blond haired Chosen winced.

"...That the key is probably back in Luin... None of the priests asked where we were going next, and I never thought to ask them if there was still anyone up here."

Genis' expression became one of horror.

"But it took us three and a half weeks to get here from there! You mean we'll have to go all the way back to get it! That's...!"

"SHADOW FLARE!" A bolt of black mana flew from Vayla's hand, enveloping a sphere of blazing light that had appeared at the plaza's edge. "Light Elementals! Raine, don't bother, your spells wont affect them. Genis, blast away with whatever you like. Lloyd, shield again please. Sheena, Noishe, Mezo, Corrine, attack however you want."

As it had at the Seal of Fire, Lloyd's voice rose in song bringing a golden shield with it to surround them, though this time for a couple of the notes his voice sounded strange. The shield rippled, expanding as Lloyd suddenly stuttered. Frantically he started the song again, and this time all the notes were normal and the shield assumed its original size.

Vayla glared at him.

"I told you not to _sing_ that! Keep your 'voice' in check!"

As soon as he'd finished the cast and had the shield stable against the bolts of light that were now coming from a mass of Light Elementals that had followed the now destroyed first, Lloyd looked at her apologetically.

"Sorry..."

Vayla shook her head and prepared to cast another darkness spell.

"You _would_ have been sorry if you hadn't stopped." She fell silent, concentrating on destroying the elementals. As soon as they were all gone and the group began checking for injuries, she turned to face Lloyd fully, an edge of anger in her voice as she began to shout with no consideration of who was present. A voice that shook with another emotion... fear. "Lloyd! You could have _killed_ yourself! You're still too sensitive to sudden depletion of mana! Just now you could have t...!" She cut herself off just in time, before in her upset state she could blurt the Alurannai's greatest secret. She clenched her fists, getting a grip on herself as she continued at a more moderate volume. "I suppose my teaching you that spell so young was a mistake, so now I'm going to correct it. From now on _Sheena_ will be the one who casts it. She's proficient enough at it now to manage."

As Lloyd stood there looking shaken, Vayla turned to face the tower doors again but was stopped from heading for them by the half-elven woman putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Lloyd could have been _killed_ just now?! Just what is going on?!"

Raine looked furious, though her eyes were filled with a mixture of shock and concern.

Lloyd's voice broke the uneasy silence that followed her questions. He was trembling.

"Members of my family are very sensitive to mana when we're very young. If I hadn't stopped, my body's mana levels would have plummeted as the shield spell pulled the mana out of me. The way my body would have reacted to that is what would have killed me..."

Raine actually shrieked her next question. A secret that was so serious it could kill one of her students if he cast a 'song' spell the wrong way?

"What reaction?!" None of the alurannai present said another word, and all of them averted their eyes from the now extremely upset woman. Raine actually looked like she was about to grab one of them to shake the answer out of them. "Lloyd is one of my students! I taught him in Iselia for over tens years! I demand to know what is going on!"

Vayla slowly turned to face Raine, though in her mind's eye she was seeing the state Kratos had been after the Mana Cannon had been fired while he was near. He'd barely survived that day, and she never wanted to see a member of his family in that state again.

"It is something only those of the Offspring Races know, along with a tiny number of highly trusted others... Only with the permission of the Narim could what you ask be told to you. Neither I, Lloyd, nor Sheena, has the authority to decide to tell you... Now let's do what we came here to do." She pushed Raine's hand off her shoulder and walked away from the door, following the wall to the door's left. "That doorway isn't the only way in. There was always a possibility of the keys being locked inside, so when the Alurannai built this temple hundreds of millennia ago they created a spare hidden in the wall of the tower itself. I'll put it back once we're done here."

That one casual statement had answered one of Raine's much wanted questions about the origins of the structures containing the Seals, but she was still too preoccupied over what had just occurred to react.

Vayla stopped about fifteen yards from the doorway, and put her hand on one of the symbols carved into the wall. Her hand passed through it, and she pulled it out again holding an ornate golden disk of elaborate filigree-like strands. She returned to the door, and pressed it into the depression spanning the seam in the middle. A click, a flare of light as the key seemed to split in two along the line of the seam, and the two doors silently swung inwards to reveal a short passage. Walking inside, she didn't so much as glance at Raine. Lloyd and Sheena following her with similarly averted eyes while Mezo and Noishe settled themselves down to wait for the group's return.

---------------------------------------------------------

Gasps of awe greeted the sight of the chamber the short passage opened on to, the huge area in its centre opening up on either side of the room to aisle upon aisle of bookshelves that extended as far as the light coming in the room's windows allowed the group to see into those book lined corridors. But the shelves didn't stop at the main floor level, spiral stairways at intervals around the room's perimeter led upwards towards the ceiling far far above, leading to another full ten floors which were connected from one side to the other by the pathways that spanned each level across the wall opposite the entrance.

Genis walked further in, eyes moving from one sight to another in wonder.

"There must be _millions_ of books in here... And the magic... This place is _soaked_ in preservation spells."

Vayla came up beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"This library was set up for the people of the world by the Alurannai when they built the Temple of Light... which this place used to be known as. Every key event that has occurred in the world's history, up until we went into hiding at the end of the war... it is all archived here along with countless texts regarding magic, medicine, languages, culture, every subject you can imagine. Back then people who wrote books would bring them here to be included in the archive, and upon the text being checked for accuracy and quality, if it passed the book would spelled to protect it and then be added to the library. Perhaps, once this is over and the Desians gone, my people will bring copies the records of the last four thousand years here. We may have been hiding, but that doesn't mean we stopped recording things."

He looked up at her.

"That's why you commented on that wall 'not being there before' back at the Seal of Fire. The Alurannai built all the Seals, so you knew it wasn't part of the original structure."

Vayla gave him a wry smile.

"My people built the 'Temples', there's a difference. When Cruxis enlisted the aid of the Greater Summon Spirits, these places dedicated to the Forces those spirit's represent were overtaken by them and became known as the Seals. They weren't the ones who built these places. The structure you saw back at the Seal of Fire, which the mana came out of, _that_ is the actual Seal. The dais underneath it is the original altar. My kind built these places so that the people could come to visit the Spirit they most identified with, and also so that Summoners seeking pacts would know where to come to find the Spirit they wished to make a pact with."

Collette came forward, Raine in the background behind her looking like she was about to go into a fit of ecstasy.

"'Overtaken'? You make it sound like the Temples were invaded..."

Vayla shrugged, though inwardly she was now cursing her choice of wording.

"Not really, it depends on perspective. Some people might indeed have seen it as an invasion, but when you consider that the Spirits can bar people from their Sanctuaries, you realise then that for the Seals to be here then they must have actually _let_ the Angels in."

It was rather ironic that she was attributing the building of the Seals to the 'Angels', when in truth they had been built by the Alurannai. But at this point, Collette, Genis, and Raine weren't to know that.

The blond haired girl thought it over and then smiled, Raine dashing off from behind her as the temptation to go drool over the sheer number of books here became too much.

"You're right." She looked around the room again, and then blinked as she spotted something in the middle at the far end. "Hey, there's the Oracle Stone!" She dashed the near eighty metres to the stone, putting her hand on it without hesitation as the rest of the group, bar Raine, caught up. The strange thing was that nothing appeared to happen other than a faint chime. She looked confused "Huh?"

Sheena pointed.

"Those marks on the floor started glowing..."

She was indicating a circular raised pattern on the floor, which when looked at closely was clearly not an original part of it. The three circles on its rim were glowing.

Vayla strolled over to one and stood on it, tilting her head as she listened to a faint click. She peered at it, and then nodded.

"They're pressure plates, which means to open the path three of us will have to stay here..." She paused, wincing as Raine's shout of 'fantastic' reached them from the far side of the chamber. "I think we can count on Raine being preoccupied for a while. I'll stay, since I'm probably the best one to drag her out of here when the second door," she pointed to the one in the middle of the wall opposite the entrance, "opens for us. If this place still follows the old 'First Test' for summoners, this device will open that side door."

Again she pointed, this time at door in the corner to their right.

Sheena sighed.

"Well since Corrine can count as one, I'll stay here too." She smiled at the Chosen. "That means Lloyd and Genis are going with you."

The girl and her partner stood on the other two pressure plates, and sure enough the door in the corner opened. As Raine's excited cries of 'marvellous' continued to echo through the chamber, the trio headed for the door... which then closed ominously behind them.

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They climbed the seemingly endless stairs which slowly spiralled upwards through the circular shaft they had entered upon passing through the door from the library. The eerie silence of the shaft, without even the whisper of moving air, was making the edgy. Up and up the climbed, the never changing ridged stone railing that separated them from the centre of the sharp giving them no indication as to whether they were nearing the way out of the shaft.

Genis looked around anxiously.

"And to think that while we're doing this... Raine is probably drooling over the books in the library with no idea that we've even left the room."

The Chosen and Alurannai Prince with him both nodded with their expressions just as anxious as his was.

Lloyd gripped the hilt of one of his swords. Blades that had been prepared for enchanting just as Collette's chakrans had, ready for when the path would leave that of the Ritual when they reached the Tower of Salvation, and become the trail of cleverly planned deception that would carry them from Temple to Temple to make the pacts. Pacts that would take the Hourglass System from Yggdrasil, and in turn remove the shield preventing the Great Seed from being moved from it's place of imprisonment deep below the Tower's foundations.

"I know none of us have ever gone through part of one of these trials without Vayla to advise and protect us, but we need to stay alert. This shaft my be empty now, but there's no guarantee it will stay that way."

The warning hit home, and both Genis and Collette fell silent as the trio continued to ascend the stairs. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the end of the stairway, and a door, came into sight. Genis and Collette both would have ran for it, but Lloyd stopped them, his eyes urging caution.

They crept up those final few steps, peering around the edge of the doorway and into the next room. It appeared to be empty, and so they proceeded to carefully cross it towards a door they could see on the far side. They reached it, and found themselves facing a door identical to the one that had blocked their way at the Seal of Fire... The door where they'd been attacked by the Fake.

Collette began searching their surroundings with her eyes, looking for one of those oh so innocent looking boxes.

"Not another one... I could barely dent the last one, and Genis' magic won't work on them."

There was a faint thud, the kind of thud one hears when you drop something like a pillow. As his friend's shrieked in fright, Lloyd spun to face the source... and found himself looking at the last thing he would have expected in such a place. There, lying on its side having just toppled over, was a large teddy bear. Soft felt-like brown cloth, little button eyes, and the cutest little smile stitched below its soot black little nose. It was almost as big as Genis, and there were three more sitting in a line beside it.

Genis began to laugh.

"Man, we freaked out over a _teddy _falling over? Let's find that stupid Fake and get the key alread... What the?!"

Soft fuzzy arms flexed, and the teddy pushed itself upright... and then it and the three beside it stood up, black button eyes now glowing red.

He pulled his kendama off his belt as Collette and Lloyd both readied their own weapons, the 'toys' slowly advancing on the trio as fabric below cute stitched mouths tore to reveal razor sharp fangs like those of a real bear.

Lloyd threw out a barrage of fireballs, using his mana generating ability to produce a near constant stream of them... They did little more than singe the things.

"Aww crap, they're not _immune_ to magic, but they _are_ resistant to it! Collette! Let's slice and dice em! Genis, do what you can to weaken them, or at least distract them!"

A sharp flap of scarlet wings and Lloyd flipped over the top of the teddies, bringing his sword down on one's head, taking it's ear off. It snarled, and six inch long claws ripped out of the end of its arms as it slashed at him. Caught off guard he dodged back, fast enough to stop it scalping him, but not fast enough for it to miss him entirely. Two of the claws caught him, cutting his face from forehead to chin.

He stumbled backwards, blinded by the blood he frantically tried to wipe from his face while he gasped the words of a healing spell. The teddies turned, taking advantage of the break in his defence.

Collette threw one of her chakrans, hitting the one that had hurt him hard enough to make it fall over, the back of its body slashed open.

"Lloyd! Fly!"

He jumped, wings a blur as he shot upwards so fast in his blinded state he hit the ceiling. The crack as he hit it made the air shudder, and now dazed _and _blind he fluttered his wings fluttered erratically and began to lurch in the air, slowly and inevitable descending towards the waiting attackers.

Genis was frozen in horror, but Collette was having none of it. One second she was standing there and the next the yelling blond haired banshee was clinging to one teddy's head, ripping chunks out of it with her bare hands.

The other three teddies actually backed up as pieces of fabric flew everywhere and Lloyd landed on the floor with a thud. The first teddy collapsed, and seconds later Collette, in a blur of pink and gold wings, leapt over Lloyd and began to literally beat the stuffing out of the remaining three.

When it was over silence fell, white clods of fluffy fibres covering the floor on one side of the room like there'd been an indoor snowstorm. Pieces of fabric were everywhere, some were even snagged on carvings on the wall as far up as a few inches below the ceiling... and in the middle of it stood a panting Collette. She had more than a few claw marks on her, and several of them had cut far enough through the layers that made up her blue trimmed white 'Chosen' outfit to draw blood. But she wasn't concerned about that, instead moving immediately to Lloyd's side.

Feeling the hand on his shoulder as he held his throbbing head, Lloyd tried again to get the still trickling ooze of blood running down his face out of his eyes.

"Collette? What happened? Why's it gone quiet?"

Genis blinked several times where he stood, taking in the mess the pair were sat in the middle of.

"Um... Collette got rid of the teddies... by herself..."

Lloyd muttered a healing spell, the cuts on his face closing to leave faint pink lines that would fade in a few days. He felt a piece of cloth being pushed into his hand, and used it to clear as much of the mess of his face as he could, though in truth he still had smears of red running from his hairline all the way down to his collar. Not even his reta had escaped the mess, and it would have to be given a thorough cleaning once they were done here to get the red splatters off it.

Now able to open his eyes again, Lloyd stared in shock at the mass of pieces around him.

"...By the Spirits... How the heck?" He turned to face Collette, who was still kneeling beside him. The cloth she'd given him was a piece of her over robe that had been cut free of her sleeve by claws. "You're hurt!"

She smiled, her cheerful expression completely at odds with the mess she was in. Her clothing was damaged enough that there would be no saving it. Not even Livian would have been able to salvage it. Ignoring her various cuts, including the one on her head that left a wide streak of red in her golden hair, she got up.

"I'm alright, I'm a lot tougher than I was at the Seal of Fire. We should look among this lot for the key and get going. The others will be wondering why it's taking us so long to open their door."

As she continued to smile, Lloyd chuckled, casting another healing spell this time on her. Cuts closed and bleeding stopped, though it could do nothing for her general appearance. She still looked a mess.

"A right pair we make. Raine and Vayla will flip when they see us. The only one without a mark on them is you."

He pointed at Genis, who was also laughing now in relief.

The mage put his Kendama back on his belt as he walked over and nudged a clod of stuffing with one foot.

"Well, maybe not quite 'unmarked'... I don't think I'll ever look at a teddy bear the same way again..."

They all burst out laughing, and after searching for a few minutes found the small silver rod that was the key to the door. After passing through it and up a single straight stairway they found themselves in a vast room, where they were high up on a kind of balcony with light shining down on them, and far below there was a tiled floor scattered with myriad mirrors and strange spherical crystals, separated into sections by glowing barriers.

Looking around, it didn't take long for them to spot the red drape covering the huge mirror on the ledge with them, and with a single utterance of 'Fiirei', Collette used the Sorcerer's Ring to set it alight.

The covering crumbled to ash, and the light shining on it from above was reflected across the room to another red draped mirror, passing through one of those spherical crystals that was located on the railing of their balcony.

A grinding sound came from below, and peering down they saw that a door had opened below, and also that a ray of light now ran across the floor. It was obvious that the mirrors would have to be used to send it through the light crystal that was down there.

Looking at it, Lloyd grinned with amusement.

"How much do you bet Raine will whine when Vayla drags her away from those books?"

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There was grinding sound, the trio sat near the Oracle Stone looking up to see the door in the centre of the wall opposite the entrance open. As they all got up, one of them looked over their shoulder at the half-elven woman still 'ooo'ing and 'ah'ing over the archive.

Vayla sighed, and strode over to her, grabbing her by her orange overcoat and dragging her towards the door. As Raine wailed at the interruptions, Vayla rolled her eyes.

"You can look at them some more when we come back down. But right now Lloyd, Collette, and Genis are waiting for us. They've just opened our door..."

Getting her feet under her, Raine managed to jerk her coat out of Vayla's grip and began to look around.

"They're waiting for us? What's going on?"

It was Sheena's turn to sigh, as she pointed to the Oracle Stone, the pressure plates, and the door the trio had gone through.

"They left over an hour and a half ago. Three people had to stay on those pressure plates to open the door for Collette. Genis and Lloyd went with her. You've just been too busy flipping out over the library to notice. The door closed behind them, the plates don't open it anymore, but now the door we use has just opened, which means the three of them are alright and have opened the way for us to go meet up with them."

Raine looked like she was going to have a fit.

"You sent Collette out into the start of the trial, with only Lloyd and Genis to protect her... AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME!!!"

She sprinted for the now open door, the two alurannai and the summon spirit in hot pursuit. It was sufficient to say that it took a lot less time for them to climb _their_ stairs than it had for the three youths to make it up theirs. Various enchanted and floating weapons awaited them in the room at the stairway's summit, but they were practically flattened by Raine who just trampled over them so fast they never got the chance to attack her. Still following the woman, Sheena and Vayla blasted the stunned weaponry as they passed, leaving them as scorched and molten metal. It was finally, as they reached the chamber where Mithos had played Martel's Linkite panpipes for Aska so long ago.

They skidded to a stop behind Raine, who was standing looking around for the absent trio. As if to answer her search, a shout came down from above.

"Hi guys! It's about time you caught up! You've been missing all the fun!"

They looked up to see Genis waving down at them, perfectly fine, causing Raine to sigh in some relief. Before they could ask where Lloyd and Collette were, the two battered and bloody youths came into view either side of him.

"You call that fun? You freaked out when those things came at us."

The mage retorted.

"Not as much as they did when _Collette_ flipped out and beat the crap out of them."

A shriek filled the air of the huge chamber.

"YOU TWO ARE HURT! WHAT HAPPENED?!"

It was Raine, and she was hyperventilating. Vayla and Sheena were being more philosophical about the mess the two were in... After all they could sense the trace of Lloyd's healing spells on them and knew from them that their injuries had been minor despite what it might look like.

Collette put on a cheerful smile as she shouted down.

"We just had to fight four... things... to get the key to open the door to get in here. Like how we got the key out of the Fake at the Seal of Fire. We only got scratches, and Lloyd healed them up good. So we're ok." She pointed to the mirrors, the crystal, and the ray of light. "Can you guys move those so the light goes through that crystal? There's a gap in the railing up here and one in the railing on the ledge across the room from us. That crystal probably makes us a bridge so we can do our next mirror and get rid of that."

She pointed to the red draped mirror across from her, and then at the barrier that blocked _their_ way. While Raine stood staring at the girl who had shrugged off getting hurt, Vayla and Sheena moved the small mirrors so the light went through the crystal as the blond haired girl had asked.

The air between the balconies rippled and a bridge of light formed. Tentatively the three youths inched out onto it, and then once sure it would hold them ran across it to the next balcony. Collette burned the drape, which after Genis had experimented with a fire spell while they waited for the other's arrival they knew could only be burned by the Ring. Sure enough the ray of light from the first mirror reflected off it and through the crystal on the railing, ending at another draped mirror on another balcony. The barrier below vanished, and the two alurannai down their moved the next set of mirrors to make the next bridge for the three above. They repeated this again and again, as the three above and the four below each slowly made their way across the chamber. Finally, after an hour of burning, dragging, and running across bridges, Lloyd, Collette, and Genis arrived on the final balcony, upon which resided a teleportation panel, and the four below reached the door that would take them to the route. Settling themselves down to wait again, the trio took this time to rest until the others would arrive through the door at the far end of the ledge.

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"If I weren't seeing it, I wouldn't believe it. Who's ever heard of killer _teddy bears?!_"

The mob of psychotic plushies were being shredded by the glaive and enchanted cards used to pummel them, light spells flung by the silver haired woman behind them not doing much damage, but slowing them down sufficiently to make things easy for the agile Vayla and Sheena, though even they were picking up stray cuts from claws. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Lloyd, Genis, and Collette had fought the same things back in _their _key room, just as the four here were doing now.

Corrine darted here and there around the bears' feet, causing them to stumble as he generally did what he could to get in their way. When the last one fell, he just as quickly skimmed back and forth through and over the wads of fluff until he found and picked up the key rod they were looking for.

It was with great relief that the quartet went up their final stairway and emerged just a short distance from the waiting trio, and it was with unspoken agreement that none of them went near the teleportation panel. They were going to take a break before facing the battle at the Seal, and that was that.

Raine slumped to the floor next to a napping Genis, setting her staff down beside her. Neither she nor her brother had been hit, but both were feeling the stress and tension of their situation. As she began to doze off as well, Vayla walked over to the still awake Lloyd and Collette and began to check them over. Sure enough, as Collette had said, Lloyd had done a first rate job of healing their various cuts, though as a novice at healing arts he could only heal them as far as leaving a pink line, and not to the flawless, mark-less state that Vayla could. A quick glance by the alurannai woman however, and she confirmed that the pink lines that were left would indeed fade without a mark after a few days. Neither Collette or Lloyd would be left with scars, so she saw no need to heal them further. Getting rid of them now would be pointless. One thing she did do however, was clean both of them up.

Collette, having never seen them before, was surprised by the string of small spells Vayla used to clean both her, her clothes, and dry her again. Lloyd just endured it silently, used to it from when his mother would tidy him up after he'd gotten covered with leaves and dirt while having play fights with Noishe. Blood stains vanished from clothing, smears vanishing from skin and hair. The only sign left that either had been in a fight was the rents in Collette's white robe and the two pink lines running down Lloyd's face.

Turning her attention to herself and her daughter, Vayla also cleaned them both up before giving the four remaining awake group members present a calm look.

"Get some sleep. I'll keep watch, and I'll wake everyone up in an hour. We can head up to the Seal then."

None of them needed any further prompting, and soon the only person still awake on the ledge was her. Sad eyes on Collette, guilt once again gnawed at her.

_Collette, this is the last respite of this kind you will know until we take you from Cruxis at the Tower. It's going to be hard for you, but I promise you that I'll always be awake for you to talk to... Neither of us will sleep again for a long time... I owe you that much, for what you are about to be put through for the sake of our Plan..._

She sighed, and settled herself against the wall looking out across the chamber of mirrors and reflected light.

_Sweet dreams, Collette..._

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The winds tugged at them, stripping the awed gasps from around them as they gazed out at the vast panorama surrounding the Tower of Mana. They were right on it's peak, actually standing on its roof on the small side platform that clung to the central square. A small set of crystal stairs connected that platform to the area a short way above, and climbing it brought them at last to stand before the Seal itself.

They stood ready, weapons drawn, as the wash of silvery light of Allied Sanctuary drifted over them like the winds stirring their hair. Tense, they waited as the stone floor beneath them trembled, and in a blaze of light their opponent appeared between them and the altar.

It was a huge deep blue horse-like creature, Unicorn like in that it had the lion-like tail of one. Rings of light circled its legs and neck, and deep red eyes fixed themselves upon the waiting group.

It pawed at the stone floor, lowering its head... and then it charged...

They scattered, Genis and Raine circling behind the altar as had been agreed. From there Raine would heal the fighting members of the group, and Genis would hit the creature with one of the six elements he could cast that would actually work on the thing, though in truth his light magic was weak compared to his sister's anyway. Vayla took to the air, using the superior reach of her glaive to harass it from above, and lastly Lloyd, Sheena, and Collette came at it from three sides, dodging attacks as the group literally let it wear itself out.

The creature didn't last long, not with a group that was prepared for this Seal in a way they hadn't at the previous. Experience helped, and such was clear in this case. It wasn't to say that this battle was any easier. In truth it had actually been harder for the creature was incredibly fast and its attacks extremely powerful, it was just that it was outmatched by the group's strategy, a one that Vayla knew from observations by the jiisumura was a one used by several successful Ritual Groups over the millennia. The creature was unchanging, and at a Seal as easy to observe as this one, that meant it was as good as doomed before the fight even started. The creature awaiting them at the Seal of Wind would face the same biased odds, but the Seal of Water's guardian was a complete mystery, for no jiisumura had even been able to observe it.

The fight over, her final test at this Seal complete, Collette stepped up to the altar and began her prayer.

"Oh Goddess Martel, protector and nurturer of the earth. Grant me thy strength."

As had happened at the Seal of Fire, the Seal unlocked, the ring and its barrier rose, mana swept out to surround them... and Remiel appeared.

He looked down at her, as she stood there with her pink and gold wings glittering in the pale sunlight of the fading winter.

"The second Seal has been released, and Luna will awaken soon. You have done well, Chosen One Collette." He smiled, eyes holding though as they did before the gleam of a darker knowledge. "I give you the blessings of the Angels, and grant you the next piece of your angelic power."

Collette bowed her head.

"I thank you, Lord Remiel."

As with the first Seal, many hued mana descended and surrounded her, drifting within her as her Crystal blazed.

When the light faded, Remiel nodded once and vanished in a flare of light, his departing words fading on the wind.

"I will await you at the next Seal..."

Alone at the altar once more, Collette turned to face her companions, smiled once, and then fainted. Once again Raine rushed to her side, once again Vayla picked her up to carry her out of the temple, and once again Lloyd looked on with helpless guilt that he could only watch as she suffered... This time with Sheena, equally guilt ridden, stood beside him.

**It's not fair, Lloyd...**

**I know it isn't, but sometimes we have no choice but to accept things that aren't fair, if we're to ever make a difference...**

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Sad brown eyes watched the fitful tossing and turning of the blond haired girl inside her tent, only the two of them out of all those in their group still awake. Collette had begun to stir before they had even made it out of the temple, the change forced upon her not even letting her remain unconscious until her body relented like had happened at the Seal of Fire. She was trapped in a pain wracked body, without even the oblivion of unconsciousness to give her respite.

Watching her, Vayla whispered, so quiet that Raine and Genis would never have heard if they were awake, but that Collette now would. The changes happening to her now sharpening the first of her senses. At the first Seal beyond her wings and not eating, she'd remained the same. Now she had to adjust to being able to hear much higher and lower pitches, and much lower volumes. She would spend the next few weeks feeling like the world was screaming at her, when in truth she was simply hearing more of it.

"Collette, I know you can hear this now, and I know you can't sleep. I want you to picture the most peaceful and tranquil place you can, and hold the image of it before your mind's eye. See nothing but that image, think of nothing but that image, nothing in the world around you matters but that image... Set you mind into a state of waiting, without waiting, and although you can no longer sleep, it will allow your mind to rest."

Collette rolled onto her back, murmuring to herself, murmuring Vayla's instructions. After a while, the girl spoke, sounding a little more relaxed.

"Thank you. It's hard, and I'll have to practice, but I think I can learn to do it properly... Thank you... for everything."

Vayla sighed, feeling even more guilty now that Collette was thanking her, when in truth she was deliberately permitting her to suffer the brutality of the Ritual.

"I'll be here Collette, from now until this ends at the Tower, I'll always be awake. If you need to talk, just talk and I'll listen."

The girl remained still, and then she spoke again. This time at the same volume as Vayla, lest Raine or Genis wake and hear her next words.

"Vayla... Why do I have to suffer to wake Martel? Why can't there be another way? ...It's not fair... Why do I have to hurt...?"

Vayla closed her eyes, the deepening guilt she felt not showing in her voice.

"Because the world isn't fair... If it were then the Kharlan War would never have happened, half-elves would not be discriminated against, the Giant Tree would never have died, and everyone would be free to live their lives in peace... But the fact is... it never works like that..."

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The auburn haired man stood, watching the ebon haired woman from his place of concealment. The Seal of Wind's backups were done, and now it was time for him to wait until Dallinius and Luna confirmed that all angelic presence was gone from around the Tower of Mana. It might take days, it might take weeks, but until it was safe, he could not risk beginning the installation, as much as it pained him to delay.

Kratos allowed himself one last moment of observation, and then walked away into the darkness without even waiting to see Lloyd wake up. If he saw him, he might never find the will to walk away again. No, until he had completed his allotted task, he would maintain his distance from his son... No matter how much it hurt, or how unfair it was... After all... the world never is...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: I ended up shortening the fight at the Seal, and the scenes after. The original lengths kinda dragged a bit, so I opted for more concise and thought provoking versions instead. Happy reading.**


	28. Destiny of a Name Fulfilled

**Alaia Skyhawk: (sighs) And here comes some bad news.**

**-**

**And some good. New vid up, just music with a pic really. I've recorded an english version of Negai. I've also done an english version of 'Kimi ga Tame', the ep 26 ending from Utawarerumono. The sound is really fuzzy though on Kimi ga Tame, either my movie maker or the upload screwed it up, because my mp3 of it is fine. :S I suppose it's ok though, since it's just the first go. I'll be doing another version with WingedWithFireyMana. Anyways, I'll put the Links in my profile as usual.**

**-**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 28: Destiny of a Name Fulfilled

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The look of disgust on Noishe's canine face said it all, as he flicked off a clump of mud clinging to one of his paws. All around them the snow was starting to melt, and beneath what was left the ground was, in places, turning into a quagmire.

Skirting around the lowest areas, trying her best to lead the sled over the highest ground, Vayla finally shook her head and stopped as Noishe continued to grumble.

"It's no good. Time to pack the sled away. It's going to get stuck if we try to keep using it."

Genis and the others got out of the sled, looking a little disappointed. As cramped as it was riding in it with Collette and Raine, it had been fun.

"Looks like no more snowball fights." He sighed. "It gonna be weird walking again after over two months riding in the sled."

Noishe, having been released from the sled's pulling harness, dashed off to give his legs a proper stretch while Vayla packed up the vehicle.

Using magic to freeze the ground under it solid, she used a couple of other small spells to clean it off before with a quick mutter and the touch of a finger, it vanished into thin air. Now safely stored in the alurannai woman's ver. Running a finger over the device to check its contents, she frowned slightly.

"Hmm, with all the supplies I have in here, it's getting close to full." She looked up. "Lloyd, let's put the sled in yours. You've got very little in there."

The observing half-elves and Chosen expected the sled to appear again, but instead only saw Lloyd and Vayla press their left wrists together so the vers touched, Vayla give hers a couple of taps, and then the two carrying on with setting off walking again.

Realising the three weren't following, Lloyd glanced back.

"What?"

Raine looked as if she were on the verge of pulling out her dreaded notebook. That is if Genis hadn't 'accidentally' stepped on her foot. As the boy apologised to the now distracted teacher, Collette pointed to his ver.

"It's just we didn't know you could do that with those. They really must be really handy to have."

He looked down at the device on his wrist and shrugged.

"They are. So long as the item isn't too big, you can put pretty much anything in one of these."

From off to one side, Sheena absently petted the spirit sitting on her shoulder, looking a little envious.

"I wish I had a ver. How long after you reached adolescence did you get yours, Lloyd?"

Vayla froze in her tracks, turning and looking back.

"I forgot to get you one?" Her daughter nodded, and Vayla had the grace to look embarrassed. Pausing for a few seconds, her eyes becoming distant, she then smiled. "I've asked for one to be waiting with the jiisumura at the East Sinoa Sentinel. We can pick it up when we reach Luin."

Sheena grinned, thanking her mother, as Collette glanced back and forth between the two.

"That's another thing that must be useful... Being able to talk to someone no matter where you are..."

The two half-elves beside her nodded slowly. The Alurannai definitely seemed to have a lot of things easy, but then the three of them were beginning to suspect now that things weren't all 'brightness and sunshine' for the former guardians of the now deceased Giant Tree. They were glimpsing the shadows now, around the edges. The Alurannai had their troubles and worries too, they were just a lot better at hiding them...

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The look of disgust on the silver haired mage's face said it all. He was dripping wet, they were _all_ dripping wet.

"First mud and now this... I thought the Asgard Plains were supposed to be one of the driest places in Sylvarant after the Triet Desert, except in winter."

As Mezo hopped along beside her like a sparrow, too wet to fly, Vayla gave him a slightly amused look.

"These mists are called 'Undine's Veil'. They come once a year when the snows melt. Warm damp air slowly starts to drift in from the ocean to the west of the continent once the winter wind from the north that cools Iselia stops. When it meets the cold of the snow, the warm air makes the snow melt, and the cold makes the moisture in the air condense. The result is these mists that last up to six weeks. The people of the plains sometimes call it the 'Veil of Life', because almost all of the moisture that soaks into the plains comes from the winter snows, and from Undine's Veil. The weeks of the Veil are very important, because if they don't stay long enough, then not enough water will soak into the ground for the coming year and a drought will set in towards the end of the farming season, the precise time when water is needed the most. No rain falls on the Asgard Plains once Spring has passed. Clouds may come in and shadow the land for a time, but it never rains. The land is just too flat to trigger it. So you see, as soggy as the Veil makes travel for us, in truth it's a very good thing for the land. Without the water that will in these weeks gather in the soil to slowly rise over the year, life anywhere on the plains would be impossible except near the lakes and rivers, and even some of those dry up in the worst years."

Wringing some of the water from his hair, Genis sighed in resignation. The air was warmer than it had been, but it was still chilly and the persistent wet was really starting to get to him.

"I can't wait until we reach Luin. Once we're there we can actually get _dry_."

No one disagreed, especially not the sorry looking hopping Mezo.

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The crackle of the campfire was the only sound above the soft breathing of the sleepers in their tents. In this quiet hour, deep in the night, only two members were awake. One who could no longer sleep, and one who had promised not to.

Collette got out of her sleeping bag, deciding it was pointless to pretend to be asleep when no one but Vayla was awake to see she wasn't. Skirting around the campfire, she sat down next to the ebon haired woman.

"You don't have to stay awake. I'm getting really good at that 'picture' thing now. At least let me take part of the night watch so you can sleep for a bit."

Vayla shook her head.

"No, I promised I would stay awake. This won't be the first time I've turned off the need for sleep for a long period of time. It's no real hardship to me."

Collette regarded her thoughtfully. Vayla had seemed completely composed and relaxed, at least to the casual bystander. Collette however knew the alurannai woman well enough now to spot the tiny signs that she was hiding what she really felt.

"You feel guilty about me suffering."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Vayla flinched, and then sighed. She'd underestimated the Chosen's perceptiveness.

"I feel guilty that my people couldn't find another way. That we have no choice but to see you suffer like this... That I have to lead you on this journey... Lead you to that suffering... And then lead you to the Tower where..."

Collette stopped her, giving her head a small shake.

"Don't blame yourself. You aren't _making_ me undertake this journey. I'm doing it of my own free will, for the sake of everyone." She averted her eyes. "Even though I too question why I have to suffer..." She sighed. "It's strange to think I haven't eaten in so long... That it's been just over two weeks now since I last slept. I wonder though, that the Alurannai can go without those things as well. When I look at my wings, and compare them to yours... You're so similar..."

It was one of the 'taboo' subjects that Vayla had resolved not to speak of to Collette, Raine, and Genis, but since the girl had picked up the similarity on her own, she supposed telling her a little wouldn't hurt.

"You're right, an angel _is_ a lot like an alurannai, though there are some big differences. We look similar on the surface of things, but when you compare our abilities closely the difference becomes stark." She hesitated a little, but continued. This little snippet of information wouldn't hurt. "...Collette, the angels existed long before Martel arose. Individuals have received Cruxis Crystals for hundreds of thousands of years, having sought them out in the name of helping others. Mithos and his companions were a group of such individuals, and that is how they lived from the start of the war right up to its end almost a thousand years later. When a person becomes an angel, they stop aging, remaining exactly as they were when they donned the Crystal... That's why you haven't aged a day since the Oracle..."

Collette looked startled.

"What? So the Angels chose to serve Martel after she arose? What about Mithos? Did he?"

Vayla nodded, it was the truth after all.

"Mithos... died... just after she first arose. Of his nine companions, only he and two others went into her service, and those two left her service a few years back, having become disillusioned with the Regeneration System. Standing by and seeing the world suffer while they lived comfortably on Derris Kharlan... They just couldn't stand it anymore. Both follow their own paths now."

The blond haired girl frowned, both curious and concerned.

"Angels can leave Cruxis? But..."

Again Vayla flinched, this time at her own once again careless words. She'd been trying to comfort Collette, ease her fears, and instead she was just giving the girl more questions.

"Collette, not all the 'angels' chose to serve Martel, in truth of all the ones existing at the time of her arising, only Mithos, two of his companions, and a tiny handful of others did. All other angels within Cruxis became angels _after_ the Order was founded, and specifically became angels because they were picked by Cruxis. There are close to three thousand Crystal Users, as the Alurannai call them, from before the creation of Cruxis, who have nothing to do with the Order. They live their own lives, helping people discretely here and there as they have done for thousand of years." Again she sighed. "As for an angel leaving Cruxis, the First Seraphim was _not_ happy at those two leaving. They've had an arrest order over their heads ever since. I'll admit the Alurannai have helped them stay out of Cruxis' sight over the years since their desertion. We believe in people having the right to making their own decisions, so with Cruxis trying to override that right, we stepped in to muddy up the waters."

Collette fell silent, aware that what she was about to say would be considered blackest heresy.

"If Sylvarant could survive until another Chosen of Restoration were picked... I would ask to be hidden like them... I don't want to die..." Her lip began to tremble, and moments later she burst into tears and clung to the shocked alurannai woman, sobbing into her shoulder. "I... don't want... to die... But I _have to!_"

Vayla wrapped her arms around the sobbing girl, wishing so much that she could tell her what was really going on. But as the girl had whispered to herself that night after releasing the Seal... Things aren't always fair.

She did the best thing she could instead.

"I promise you Collette, if we find another way... I promise you, we'll save you..."

It was the closest she could come to saying it, and not say it, but it was enough for Collette. Amid her sobs came tearful words of thanks, until after a while the girl's sobs faded into silence.

"Vayla, when we get back to Luin, could you ask the jiisumura bringing Sheena's ver to take something to Iselia for me? I want to send my family a letter, and some presents I got for my mom and dad for their birthdays."

Still hugging the girl, Vayla nodded, brushing strands of golden hair out of the youth's face.

"I'd be happy to."

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Horror... It is a word that conjures up images of shock, an unexpected terrible occurrence, a sight to bring your heart to your throat where it will pound with terror, anger, or both. Horror... It is a word... that didn't even come close to describing the emotions running through the nine individuals looking towards the shore of the vast lake in the distance... Towards the clouds of roiling black smoke that rose from the myriad islands out in the waters, lit by an eerie red glow...

Luin was burning... and only now were they close enough to see the smoke through Undine's Veil.

Seven weeks... It had only been seven weeks since the group had left Luin to go to the Tower of Mana. Seven weeks ago Luin had been full of life, but now... Now it would seem that the life giving mists of the Veil had allowed doom to approach the city unseen and attack with terrible consequences.

No one said a word, they just broke into a run over the soggy grass through the last straggling patches of snow that were melting in the faint warmth of the new spring. Everything seemed to be at a crawl. They ran and ran until the two half-elves and Collette couldn't run anymore. Stopping to load Raine onto Noishe, and for Lloyd and Vayla to pic up Genis and Collette to fly them, they set off again at the fastest pace the three alurannai could muster. It was a pace they couldn't hold for long, nearly two thirds of Noishe's top speed. It was a pace the Arshis himself couldn't handle for long either, for his kind specialised at steady paces for long distances, and extreme speed for short. Even on these flat plains, even if he weren't carrying Raine, he still couldn't have kept it up forever.

They'd been a full day and a half's travel away from Luin had they been going their normal pace, but as it stood they reached the burning city in a mere four hours of mad flying and outright sprinting by the canine.

Staggering to a halt when they reached the edge of the lake, they found themselves gazing upon smouldering islands... and a mass of survivors cluttering the shore. A second glance revealed that only the Craftsman District, the Traveller's District, and two of the Residential Districts had been set alight, the rest of the city untouched, but those four islands were more than enough... The thousands of homeless huddled together in numb silence were more than enough...

Vayla clenched her fists as she gritted her teeth, her harsh breathing from the long run hissing between them. For her, every time she saw something like this, it was like Ralta all over again... Like Berritte all over again. A city sundered, it's people slaughtered for a pointless cause.

A priest spotted them and rushed over, his face a mask of relief.

"Thank the Goddess you're all safe. We feared you would arrive here before the demons had left." He turned to look bleakly out at the still smouldering islands. He then glanced back as Collette moved as if to speak. "No, even if you had gotten here before the attack, there would have been little you could have done, and you would have been in grave danger. The Desians came without warning, and there were several hundred of them... Far more than has ever come here on a raid in all the time since the last Regeneration. They killed close to two thousand in the city, and took around five hundred prisoners with them when they left. The attack was almost a week ago, and it's only now that the last of the fires have begun to die down." Again he faced the rising smoke. "It will be quite some time before the city recovers from this..."

His eyes had been shadowed with grief, but his words were spoken as simple matter of fact.

Stunned by way in which he'd said them, Raine took a step forward with a hint of anger in her eyes.

"How can you be so calm?! You said it yourself! Two thousand people dead, and five hundred more in the hands of the Desians!"

He spun, his gaze becoming hard.

"And you think I don't know that? As a priest I must put my personal feelings aside so as to act as an example of hope and determination to the people of Luin. I would like nothing more than to scream my emotions to the heavens... But if the people saw a priest of the Church of Martel doing that, what would they think?"

Collette put a hand on the now silenced woman's shoulder.

"If they saw that, they'd panic. The people need the priests to stay strong, so that they have someone to look to while things are in chaos around them. I learnt that lesson a long time ago. The priests back home made sure of that. No matter how much it hurts to hold the feelings back, members of the Church do so, so that the people will always see the light in the distance, even when all that is around them is darkness." She turned to the priest. "I will walk among the survivors to reassure them. Will you escort me?"

He bowed, and then gestured that she should lead.

"It would be an honour."

The look she gave the group just before she walked away was all Collette needed to say that they should go and help in their own way. She would be fine on her own.

Vayla closed her eyes for a moment, and then pulled a wrapped package out of her ver. Holding it by the string that criss-crossed it, she offered it to Noishe with shadowed eyes.

"Take this to the jiisumura at the East Sinoa Sentinel. After getting Sheena's ver from them, ask them if they'll take this to Iselia. Tell them also that if word of this has not already reached Iselia, they are to say nothing of what has happened here. Let Collette's family think that nothing is wrong here if fate permits. I think it would be kinder that they receive Collette's gifts and letter... without knowing what she is doing right now."

The Arshis didn't say a thing, simply grabbing the string in his teeth and running off in the direction of the Sentinel. Mezo went with him, the devastation here reminding him too much of the battle during the Kharlan War that nearly cost him his life.

As soon as the two of them were gone, Vayla just stood there, too lost in her own memories of war and death to do anything else. It was then, when he realised how hard this had hit her, that Lloyd took leadership from her. From now until she pulled herself together again, he would make the decisions. As a member of the Alurannai Nartana, it was in him to lead, and this would be the first time he had ever done so.

"Raine, Genis, go among the survivors. Clean them up and heal those who are hurt the worst. Vayla, Sheena, and I will go put out the last of the fires, and see what might be salvaged of the buildings on the islands."

Not giving the two half-elves a chance to answer, he took hold of Vayla's arm and forced her to fly with him in the direction of the nearest burning island, Sheena following along behind.

With little else they _could_ do, they did as he'd commanded. Walking towards the nearby people as fast as their exhausted legs would carry them.

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Eyes filled with gratitude as small wisps of water, untainted by ash, washed away the taint of smoke and death that clung to the people he helped. Genis, who had been left alone by his sister when a priest had offered to lead her to where those who were the most badly hurt were being kept, did the only thing he could for these people. He wished that he could do more, but calling water from the nearby lake, and clearing if of the ash, was the single thing he could do for the people he moved among. Healing gels had been distributed among these people, for use on the worst of the injuries suffered by these people who were 'walking wounded'. Able to move, not in an immediately life threatening condition, they were left to look after themselves for the time being. But even having used the gels, the dirt that was covering all of them still made its way into cuts and scrapes, making them begin to fester. Cool pure water to wash those wounds clean gave the people a chance, but if things stayed as they were, many of these walking wounded would be dead of infection in a week.

Getting up and heading to a new cluster, Genis wondered inwardly where the Alurannai were in all this. Surely they should have been doing _something_. Almost as if to answer, he saw a figure get up from beside another cluster of survivors. Their mana signature seemed completely human, and yet he saw the touch of magic as wounds healed with the slightest brush of their fingertips. Humans couldn't use magic, not unless they had a detectable level of elven blood, which meant that figure could only be one thing... An alurannai.

Genis stopped by the next group, still wishing he could heal like his sister, and began to clean them up as he had done for survivors for several hours already.

Hands trembling with pent up emotion, he faced the heartbreaking decision to pass over a young girl, barely his own age, whose wounds were so tainted and swollen that even those with her didn't comment. They knew there was nothing his abilities could do for her.

Done with this cluster, and about to get up and walk to another, Genis was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. It was the disguised alurannai woman he'd spotted a few minutes before, and crouching down she examined the girl.

"Did you know that water is one of the two elements that can also heal? Healing on it's own is a rare skill, but the ability to call on wind or water also allows healing if used in the right way. Air is needed for life, so is water, and both are a fundamental part of it. Both exist within living creatures at all times. Call upon one or the other, and you can guide them to restore the proper path of their flow within the living, healing them in the process." She took hold of his hand, and set it on the girl's shoulder. "Feel the 'water' within her, feel how it is tainted by sickness, and where its true flow within her is disturbed. Take hold of it, cleanse it, and guide it back to its proper path."

Genis held his eyes closed, listening to her words, and as he reached out with his magical senses he found himself doing what she had described. The hand left his shoulder, and the girl beneath his touch stirred. He opened his eyes, and saw the flush of fever was gone from her face, and the livid red of tainted wounds had been replaced by the dark pink of newly healed scars.

He looked at his hands, as the alurannai woman got up.

"Did I just... heal her?"

Again that hand on his shoulder, making him glance up to meet the woman's gaze.

She nodded.

"Yes. You used a water healing spell, which is in a totally separate branch of healing arts. One must be able to cast water spells to use one. Although healing arts in their pure form are beyond your natural ability to use, those within the water branch, and perhaps those within the wind branch as well, you are capable of casting once taught how to do so." She began to walk away. "We both have much we can do to help these people, and so now I take my leave, for we will treat far more in less time than if we were to walk among them together."

He got up, looking at his hands once more, before walking over to the next group with a renewed sense of hope. His feelings of helplessness fading, he knew now he could truly help these people survive what had happened. While all around, across the masses of the hurt, more and more wandering 'human' healers came into view.

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The people reached out to touch the offered hand, whispering words of thanks as the blond haired girl walked among them giving them hope. She told them of the Second Seal being released, that the journey continued, that _she_ continued to strive to regenerate the world for them. To give them a world where, at least for a time, they could live without fear of the Desians.

She stopped for a moment, the priest coming to a stop just behind her as she murmured barely loud enough for him to hear.

"These people... I think of the suffering I have already endured, continue to endure, and that which is to come that I will have to face for the Ritual. My will was faltering, that the people would know nothing of the truth of what I was going through. I questioned why I must have to suffer so much... and now I know... My suffering, it is the suffering the people will face should I fail. The pain I feel, is the pain that none of them will have to know once the Desians are sealed and the world regenerated. The suffering I endure, is the suffering the world will never have to know during that peaceful time my sacrifice will create. I carry the hopes and dreams of the people as they are with me... but I also carry the sorrow, pain, and fear that they will be spared. There must be a balance somewhere, and so when the world finds peace and light, somewhere there must be pain and darkness... That somewhere, is me..."

As she turned to face the priest, he stared at her startled, his eyes filling with guilt and remorse.

"...Chosen One..."

She shook her head.

"No... I may have been born for this, taught all my life that I had no choice but to face this destiny, but it remains true that I walk this path of my own free will. If I didn't do this freely, I would have failed at the first test. Instead, I have faced and passed three tests of my resolve, with two more to go before my final trial at the Tower of Salvation. I'm half way there, and if I didn't truly love the world, and do this for the world by my own choice, I wouldn't be standing here now." She looked around at the people, huddled in the various makeshift tents that lay scattered along the shore of the lake. "It is my duty as the Chosen to face the Desians, to seal them away upon completion of the Ritual... It is also my duty to protect the people." She frowned with determination, her gaze holding a hard light that never in her life been there before. "Those people, taken from this place... It is my duty to give them hope as well... And I will do that..."

She suddenly began to walk away, continuing among the survivors, the priest escorting her not realising the true import of her words.

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As the three alurannai soared towards the island, a great mound of water rose up from the lake's surface behind them, arching up and over until it split into myriad droplets that fell upon the island as they flew over it, drenching the ground and smothering any remaining flames and embers. The Craftsman's District was devastated. The only parts of it relatively untouched being the areas where the blacksmiths had their stone built workshops. Thos buildings were the only recognisable structures left on the island, and even then they were missing their roofs.

Vayla remained silent, doing as Lloyd instructed her without uttering so much as even a mental affirmative. She was silent in both forms of 'speaking' the three of them could use, and that was really beginning to unnerve her daughter.

Sheena moved closer to Lloyd, as she used a wave of her hand to call more water up out of the lake to douse a patch of embers in a spot their first pass had missed. She glanced at Vayla, who was flying along a short distance away on Lloyd's other side.

**Lloyd... Can't you order her to stop suppressing her emotions? She won't listen to me, she just... sits there like a puppet doing no action unless commanded to.**

Lloyd sighed.

**She's not suppressing her emotions, she's just lost in memories. What's happened here must have reminded her of something truly terrible in her past. Give her the chance to think it though. She knows deep down she's not fit to lead right now, so she's just doing what I tell her, since after her I'm the logical choice as leader... I can't order her not to remember, and even if I could I wouldn't. No one has the right to tell others what to feel and how to react to pain and suffering... I know seeing your mother like this hurts, but do what you can to deal with it in your own way, as she's dealing with whatever is troubling her.**

Sheena returned to her place in the line the three of them made, as they swept out over the waters again and towards the next burning island. One of the two torched Residential Districts. Again the waters of the lake rose, and again they fell as heavy rain over the blackened ruins below. Four islands, four out of nearly forty. They were just a small black stain against the greater backdrop of untouched city, but even as the three of them over flew the edge of the untouched Market District they could see the impact it had had upon Luin. The City Guard walked the market in convoys, using money from the city's treasury to purchase food and supplies from the merchants, who in the spirit of supporting their fellows were asking only for the base cost of their goods. They would make no profit from helping. The other side of Market District, on the island beyond, lay the second devastated Residential District, though from looking at it, much of the fires had been halted before too much was destroyed. Half of the buildings were salvageable, meaning that with some general repairs they would be fit to serve as accommodation for some of the survivors in the approaching warmer months of spring and summer.

As the three of them gave the island a dousing anyway, so to be sure there was nothing left that could start a new fire, Sheena wrapped her arms in tight to her body and shivered.

**How can Yggdrasil warrant this? He claims he wants to make a world without discrimination, for his sister Martel. But this... She was against things like this. The senseless destruction of life... Against the path of the weak heart, where people seek to destroy what they don't understand, instead of trying to. He's not even trying to understand humans, the fears that can drive them, instead he's just making it worse...**

Lloyd bit his lip, eyes shadowed with concerns an alurannai his age should never have had to deal with.

**And that's why we're doing what we're doing. You and I. One of us will wield the Eternal Sword, and the other will call up the Summon Spirits should their aid be needed in the final hour... When the time comes to face Yggdrasil. When the time comes to claim the worlds back for the people.** He glanced at her. **I saw half-elves wandering among those people on the shore, with the alurannai healers that have come to help. They're openly helping, as half-elves, and the people as a whole weren't rejecting them. Sure some people got angry at them, but when they saw the half-elves helping even when they were yelled at, that anger began to fade a little... Ask Corrine if you don't believe me.**

On cue, as his name was spoken, the spirit appeared in the air between the two crèche mates and glided along with them.

**He's right, Sheena, and a lot of half-elves that had been posing as humans to live in Luin have revealed themselves so that they could use their magic to help. When the invasion came, many of them threw themselves at the Desians realising that all of Luin could be destroyed if they didn't act. The traces of their spells lie all around us. They fought back, defended the city, many with their lives. Too many humans here saw their sacrifice to discount it... Sheena, my power in this area is growing. The people here, humans and half-elves, they're starting to trust one another again.**

**Then if one good thing is to come of this... then at least it would be that...**

All of them turned their heads to look at Vayla, but she said nothing more. She would remain silent, silent until the group would meet up again at the dawn of another darkened day for Luin..

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It was with a frantic pace that the people tried to fix the bridge as fast as possible. With the Craftsman's and Traveller's Districts burned, the bridges that had connected the city to the eastern shore of the lake had been dangerously compromised. Those survivors on the shore had been stranded there by the now unstable bridges. Those bridges had held long enough for medical supplies and at least _some_ food to be taken out of the city to them, but the strain had caused parts to sag and others to collapse completely.

A shadow passed over the people at the start of the main bridge in the Traveller's District, and as they looked up they saw the alurannai woman that was the Chosen's escort swoop down and slide the bridge's length. In her wake the wood trembled, twigs and branches spouting from the scorched lengths to reach out and span the gaps in the bridge. The people watched as her power roused the once dead wood and made it grow, weaving together to repair what was damaged and weakened. No sooner had she soared up into the sky again from the far end of the bridge that the scattering of leaves along the bridge withered and dropped away, leaving a once again dead structure that would only need minimal work to be smoothed out and flattened again.

They watched as she disappeared beyond the charred buildings around her, no doubt heading to repeat what she had just done with the smaller bridge that extended from the eastern side of the Craftsman's District.

The way now opened, the people of the city gathered waiting headed out to lead those on the shore into Luin once more, where they would be housed with the many families with space to do so had offered to house them until the damaged areas had been rebuilt.

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With an exhausted sigh the silver haired woman wiped the sweat from her brow as she got up and stumbled over to the next bed in the makeshift infirmary. All around her human doctors worked alongside a small number of half of part-elven healers to save those who were so badly injured that just in the act of moving them to this place to be treated, many had died. She didn't know how long she'd been in here. Didn't know how many people her magic had saved, or how many her magic just hadn't been enough to. She was so exhausted that she hadn't even given it a second thought when she'd admitted to the people in the infirmary that she was a half-elf. None of that mattered anymore. All that mattered to these people was that she cared and was willing to drive herself to the limit to help them. For the first time in her life, complete strangers had, upon discovering what she was, simply nodded and said nothing more. No accusations, no blame, just acceptance. She'd queried the sudden change of heart of the people, especially considering that it was an army of Desians that had caused all this, and in reply one of the patients themselves had answered.

"People prove themselves through their deeds. The half-elves that hid themselves among the people of the city faced our rejection and risked their lives to protect us all. If they hadn't then a whole lot _more_ would have been killed and burned. It was their magic that finally drove the Desian's off, with far fewer prisoners than we know they would have wanted."

At that point one of the doctors had come over and made the man lie down again, for in his determination to get his point across he'd pulled himself partly upright when he was suffering from a deep stab wound to his gut. Raine had just got on with things after that, moving from bed to bed, healing injuries to the point where medicine would be enough to finish the recovery, conserving her strength so that she could help more of those here.

As the hours had passed, one by one the other healers had dropped from exhaustion to be moved onto blankets in corners out of the way so they could rest. But she kept going, kept awake by sheer will alone until she was the only healer still conscious, and she had started here before some of those who had been asleep for hours.

She was sat on a stool beside the last of those brought in from among the survivors on this day, straining to call up enough mana to save him but failing. Each attempt wore her down a little more, but she kept trying even when the doctors began to threaten to anesthetise her to force her to rest before she hurt herself. One of them had just gotten a bottle of the liquid whose vapour caused sleep when inhaled when a young boy with hair as silver as hers had entered the tent and stumbled over to her side nearly exhausted as she was.

The boy looked at the man, then at his sister, and gently pulling her hand away he put his own in their place. Mana shivered in the air, and as they watched blue light, the colour of water mana, whispered around the man leaving healed wounds in their wake.

Raine looked at Genis in shock. When had he learned how to heal?

He gave her a tired smile.

"A healer out among the survivors taught me. They showed me that even though I don't have the ability to cast pure healing arts spells, I can cast the elemental ones." He dropped to his knees, too weak after that last spell to stay standing. "I'm not sure how many times I've used it now though... I kinda lost count once I got past fifty..."

Raine tried to get to her feet, to pull her brother up, but instead nearly fell over. The various human doctors rushed to their sides, picking both up and carrying them to a pair of now empty fold up beds. Both of them were asleep within moments of their heads resting on the thin mattresses. Further talk of Genis' newly learnt spell would come soon enough.

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Night had fallen, the smoke at last cleared from the air due to the last fires being smothered by the torrential rain of water the three alurannai had used to soak the burnt islands. Seeking refuge they had gone to the East Sinoa Sentinel and found places up among its branches to lie against the trunk and let the tree song sooth their tattered hearts. Lloyd and Sheena had fallen asleep almost immediately, with the young girl only staying awake long enough to clasp her new ver onto her left wrist. Vayla however kept her promise to Collette, even here where the girl wasn't present to see it.

Lying there, thinking over how Lloyd had dealt with her 'condition' today, she glanced over to where he clung to the Sentinel a short distance from her among its branches. The jiisumura was keeping watch down below, with Noishe and Mezo also sleeping close by. Here, a few miles from the chaos of the city, they would find peace until morning.

She turned her hear, looking out through the leaves at the lights of Luin in the distance.

_You did yourself and your family proud today, Lloyd. Never has a member of the Nartana faced something like this while so young, but you've just taken it in your stride for the sake of those around you. Alysii too, she was more upset by how I was acting than by the damage to the city. She's seen a hard life in Mizuho those thirteen years, so seeing this destruction is something she can deal with. But seeing me, her mother, so locked up in past feelings of helplessness scared her more than any worldly danger. Both of you care so deeply about those around you, and you both possess the strength to keep going even when things are bleak. To think that in facing the destruction of Luin, a nineteen year old child would be stronger than her near five thousand four hundred year old mother..._

She lay there, resting on her front along the length of a branch, waiting until the rising sun would herald the time for them to meet up with the rest of the group.

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The reunion had been subdued, with the various members of the group simply walking off to one side of the steady stream of survivors now crossing the repaired main bridge to be assigned a temporary home. Watching those people, Collette had remained silent as Raine had questioned Genis about his new ability to use water to heal, and Vayla had explained the various facets of those branches of healing arts to the woman. She'd remained silent when some of the doctors from the infirmary had come up to the pair and thanked them for all their help in saving so many lives through their efforts. Humans and half-elves had also come up to thank the group, walking away side by side with complete acceptance of each other. It seemed that sometimes the worst of things could bring about something good. That terrible tragedy could bring out the best in people and make them see in a new light. Word of what had happened here would spread. Here, through the Desians' malice, the seeds of change had been sown. Those seeds would spread, and careful spreading of the word by disguised alurannai would ensure that within a few months all of Sylvarant would know of the half-elves of Luin defending the city and giving their lives for others... and with Raine and Genis' permission, given to the jiisumura that had come with the three alurannai to the bridge, the people would also know that their Chosen was being aided by two half-elves who had dedicated themselves to protecting her for the duration of her journey. This was just the kind of opening that Phidra had been waiting for, and Collette, who knew her grandmother's plan, was certain that in the near future the Church of Martel would begin to point out that key phrase in the scriptures.

'Martel, Goddess of Hope. She who cherishes all life and looks upon all with equal favour.'

That phrase had been cleverly included by Kratos in the revised version of the scriptures, which had then been distributed to the people of the two worlds after the first Regeneration of each. Yggdrasil had asked him to do the revision, and had barely glanced at the result save to see that the gist of it was the same. That one innocent phrase was the keystone in giving the people a push in the direction of acceptance of those different. A keystone just waiting for someone like Phidra to make use of it to fill the gap in the unstable bridge between the various races. If humans stopped the persecution of those of part elven blood, then the other races would come into the open as well. The unity between them would begin to grow in strength, and in the course of these changes the Forces of Heart and Unity would regain enough power that Dallinius and Verius could once again regain their true forms and strength. If that should happen, then there would be _three_ Summon Spirits that could block the power of the Eternal Sword, and one of those spirits it would seem could still elicit an emotional response from the madman.

Dallinius had been the one to take to Yggdrasil the message of the Alurannai's offer to escort Collette and ensure she reached the Tower. The spirit, in his own anger at the betrayal he'd suffered, had recklessly goaded the angel to inarticulate fury... But even then Yggdrasil could not bring himself to strike down his former partner. That fragment of knowledge had been stored away by the spirit, to be used at a later date should it be needed.

Collette got up, her sudden movement as she turned to face Lloyd bringing a startled halt to the conversation regarding what else the group could do for Luin.

"There's nothing more we can do here. The people themselves have things in hand now... Lloyd, how long will our current supplies last? And be honest about it, don't include me in the total like you have since the Seal of Fire. I've decided to stop hiding what's happened to me at the two Seals." As Lloyd ran a quick mental calculation, though not sure exactly why Collette had asked, she turned to the confused Genis and Raine. "I don't eat anymore. I stopped needing to after releasing the Seal of Fire. Vayla and Lloyd knew, but hid it because it was up to me whether I wanted you two to know as well. When I released the Seal of Light, I stopped needing to sleep. I can't sleep, not anymore. Just as I can't eat anymore. Don't get angry about it... It's just part of what it means to become an angel..."

Lloyd cleared his throat, getting their attention before the two half-elves could respond to Collette's bombshell revelation.

"We have enough to get us to Aisa with several weeks to spare. And that's if Vayla, Sheena, and I eat. If the three of us turn off our need to, there's enough to feed Genis and Raine from here to Aisa, to here, and back to Aisa again."

She nodded as she heard the figures, and then spoke again, her voice determined.

"Then we have enough to do what I want, and go to Aisa afterwards to stock up again before continuing on the Regeneration Journey." She narrowed her eyes, her gaze daring them to go against her. "I'm going to go to the Asgard Ranch and get all those people out of there... And as my escort you can either help me or stay here, because either way _I'm going_." Before the chorus of objections could rise, she silenced them. "_I don't care if it's dangerous! Everything I do for the Regeneration is dangerous! I'm not going to stand back 'safe' while the people right in front of me suffer! If I can help them, then with Martel as my witness, I WILL!_"

She stood there, fists clenched as she glared at them. No one spoke, until Vayla finally broke the silence.

"I'll go into Luin and ask for volunteers to bring supplies for the people we rescue and to escort them back here. We'll find a way to get those people out. All it will take is some careful planning and preparation"

She started to walk away, as Raine looked back and forth between the two until she could hold it in no longer.

"_You can't be serious! Going to that Ranch is suicide!_"

Vayla stopped and looked back.

"You heard Collette, she's going to go whether we help her or not... and I happen to agree with her reasons for wanting to. Getting those people out of the Ranch will be tricky, but for an alurannai it's a problem for which I can probably work out a solution given a little time to recon the facility and get an idea of the layout. Get some rest while you can, Raine, because as soon as we have the volunteers and supplies to ensure those prisoners can make it back here... We're leaving whether you come or not."

In the moments that followed, Lloyd, Sheena, Corrine, Noishe, Mezo, and Genis all moved to stand around Collette as a sign they were with her. Seeing there would be no deterring the girl, she signed with resignation and walked over as well.

"...'When you can't beat them... join them'... At least this way I'll be able to see for myself that you don't try anything foolish and get yourselves killed."

It was decided. As soon as the arrangements were made, Collette would leave Luin to raid the Ranch... At the head of a small army...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Heh heh, I loved Collette in this chapter. She's ticked off, and is going seriously badass against the Desians. XD**


	29. To Learn a Terrible Truth

**Alaia Skyhawk: Part one of the RANCH! MUAHAHAHAHA! (Goes after Kvar with a pitch fork)**

**I've used two words of Japanese in this, and I apologise in advance if I used them wrong. (Crosses fingers that they were used right)**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 29: To Learn a Terrible Truth

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Through the concealing web of Undine's Veil they walked. The very mists that had concealed the Desians, now concealed this force of almost a thousand men and women from them. The response to Collette's call for volunteers had been tremendous, and had every volunteer been brought this force would have numbered nearer _fifteen _thousand. The news that a rescue mission was to be carried out had heralded a near avalanche of offered supplies and wagons to transport them in. Weapons, medical supplies, all manner of things that would be needed had been offered. The people of Luin had had enough, and given the Chosen's announcement that she was going to raid the Asgard Ranch, they were now completely bent on getting retribution. To be quite frank after she'd stirred the hornets' nest as it were, even if Collette had backed out the people would still have gone... and they'd have gone in far greater numbers. As fearsome as the Desians were, if a force of fifteen thousand vengeful humans and part-elves had attacked the ranch, then like a group of invading wasps overwhelmed by a colony of ants, the two and a half thousand Desians at the Asgard Ranch would have been flattened... And Cruxis would have done nothing about it. If one of his Cardinals were so careless as to have his Ranch suffer such a fate, then they must have deserved it. Yggdrasil would suffer no weakness in his ranks, and would see the collapse of a Ranch merely as a cull of those too weak to deserve a place in his 'perfect world'.

At the head of this 'army' rode Collette, proudly atop Noishe's back. The light of determination had never left her eyes, not even in the dark of night she when she'd looked up at the sky while those around her slept as she no longer could. Collette may have been raised to display innocence on the surface, but beneath that was a core of steel forged by the careful teachings of her grandmother. Collette was as different from all other previous Chosens as one could come. They had all remained passive, as they had been taught to be. But Collette's upbringing had encouraged her to be more assertive. In temperament and morals, she was a much a match for Martel as her mana signature was, and like Martel, when she got something into her head then nothing would make her back down.

Lady of Light and Hope the people of Luin had started calling her. Yet another irony in the life of this girl who mirrored one long since dead.

Walking along behind her, watching this girl at whose call had come the masses, the three alurannai that travelled with her couldn't help but see another irony. Yggdrasil's precious 'M-1' was the exact opposite of what she was supposed to be. She was supposed to be docile and obedient, but instead he'd gotten a fiery young woman who deep down was anything _but_ docile. And all unwittingly she was leading the first important steps of his downfall...

If she had her way, one of Yggdrasil's Ranches would fall... like Cruxis would fall if the Alurannai's Plan should succeed.

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The ring of razor sharp metal flew unerringly towards the simple target, slicing the stick exactly on the mark the blond haired girl had drawn on it. All around her lay a mass of tiny pieces. Little disks of wood that had once been lengths of varying thickness thrust into the wet ground. Again a ring flew, this time from the girl's other hand, hitting the next mark down the stick's length. A mark that was a mere few millimetres from the previous. Collette had spent the last hour, while the people prepared to move off on this day's worth of walking, reducing her targets to tinder a sliver at a time. Piece after piece, she'd cut them up until they were no longer recognisable as what they originally were.

Collette's aim, from years of training, had been incredibly accurate when she'd left Iselia. Now, with her angelic strength and speed growing, the sharpness of her eyesight increasing... To describe her aim now as deadly was an understatement. She was angry, and determined to save the people at the ranch... And that made her as dangerous to the Desians as Lloyd and Sheena were in terms of their abilities. For all that the two of them were still far stronger than her, they weren't being driven by the sense of duty she was. Her interpretation of her duty, an interpretation that Cruxis as an organisation would be far from pleased to see, it was what was driving her forward. She would see this through, no matter what.

Raine arrived at the girl's 'practice area', the place a short distance from the 'army' that she's picked and told no one to disturb her in until it was time to go. A little wary of distracting her, since she was steadily dissecting another stick with her chakrans, Raine cleared her throat.

"Um... Collette. We're about to set off."

Collette caught the metal rings when they returned to her, and glanced at Raine.

"Ok, I'll come. Just let me finish off the last of my targets."

The silver haired woman glanced around. There were still five sticks in the ground, and each had near to twenty marks on them.

"Collette, I don't think you'll have t..."

She was stopped as Collette brought out her wings, calling mana to her. A split second later a veritable storm of pink and gold feathers were flung by that mana at the sticks. The targets dropped to pieces, every single mark on them sliced clean through. Such was the ferocity of the spell that even the rock which one of the sticks had been placed by had chunks cut from it.

Collette flipped the safety latches on her chakrans and hung them in their place on her back under her hair. Not noticing the stunned look on Raine's face, or simply ignoring it, she headed to where Noishe was waiting for her at the front of the assembling mass of people.

"I'm done..."

Raine turned to watch her go, before following and heading over to Vayla's side having spotted that the woman was also watching the girl. Once there, she murmured in a concerned tone.

"I've never seen Collette use _that_ spell before... What _was_ that?"

Vayla looked a little concerned herself, though not as much as Raine did.

"Angel Feathers... Though that's a rather inaccurate name since the Alurannai can use that spell as well. Feathers from the caster's wings are made rigid and flung at the target driven by the caster's will... It can be cast with a single feather sent with the delicacy of a surgeon... Or can be cast with near to a hundred conjured feathers sent out like a storm of blades... You just witnessed the latter. Angelic magic, or as the Alurannai call it, Ethereal Magic, is something that an angel doesn't generally pick up immediately. Collette will have 'known' that spell since she got her first angel abilities at the Seal of Fire... She's just never had cause to use it before... I'll have a word with her, and prompt her into 'learning' to cast the second Ethereal spell she'll know. Holy Song, it uses the caster's mana to boost the strength and resilience of their allies. Right now she's letting her emotions affect her judgement. I'll do what I can between now and reaching the Ranch to get her perspective straight again."

The two women watching as the girl settled herself on the Arshis' back and murmured at him so he'd set off, Raine sighed.

"Through this journey, with her smiles and laughter, I've kept seeing her as a child even when at the Seals she faced and overcame things no _child_ ever could. But she's not a child. She's a young woman with a kind heart that uses her smiles to comfort and reassure the people around her... And right now smiles just won't cut it. If she wants to help, then this time she has to do a lot more than that. Smiles won't free those people. Smiles won't save their lives. It's actual actions that matter right now, and she knows that to do what she wants for those people... She has to fight."

Vayla took a deep breath, memories tugging at her as the column of a thousand people began moving along behind the determined girl that led them. Letting it out again, she began to walk forward as well.

"She reminds me of someone I travelled with a long time ago... Who died a long time ago. She was a half-elf, whose caring heart and kind smiles hid a core of steel. She could bring out the best in people with just a few understanding words, but when words failed she could also fight with the best of them. The day she died, she fought and defeated a mob of nearly four hundred human soldiers to defend what she had sworn to protect. She did it alone, with no weapons but her bare hands and her magic. They injured her, but she kept fighting, kept going until they stopped coming... but by then it was too late and she no longer had the strength left to heal herself. She paid with her life that day, but she gave it freely in order to protect the future of all others. Her angelic strength didn't save her, couldn't protect her from being harmed by the few enchanted weapons that mob possessed. Her Ethereal magic, what few spells could be cast fast enough not to be disrupted, cut them down a handful at a time instead of one by one... But none of that could save her in the end... Not even the healing arts I wield. She was took far gone to save when we found her, but even with her dying breath she wished for us to try and make a better world where all people could live freely and without discrimination. All her life she faced the scorn of others because of her race, but she never gave up. Never stopped striving to bring out the good she knew existed within the people. Not stopping believing even in the end..."

There were tears streaming down the ebon haired woman's face, as the memories of Martel, one of her dearest friends, roused grief that she'd spent much of the last four thousand years suppressing. Maybe it was because there was an end to this nightmare in sight now, that she allowed herself to feel it again.

Raine looked startled at this emotional outburst. Vayla had rarely said anything about her past, and yet here she was speaking of someone, an _angel_, she'd travelled with.

"That woman was an _angel?_"

Vayla sighed, wiping the tears from her face with one hand.

"I told this next thing to Collette when we were on our way back from the Seal of Light... Not all 'angels' that exist are a part of Cruxis. There are nearly three thousand from the ages before Cruxis arose, that have nothing to do with the Order. The woman I spoke of was one of them. A few have arisen since then that also have nothing to do with Cruxis, but they keep their heads down, just like the rest of their fellow Crystal Users." She turned her head to face the silver haired woman that walked beside her. "Perhaps at some point in this journey you will meet some of them, for most of them maintain at least partial contact with the Alurannai. Checking in with us once every century or so."

Raine stared for a moment, before turning her gaze to the blond girl riding atop her green and white steed.

"Every time I think I'm starting to get an accurate picture of the Alurannai, of the world hidden beneath what I see every day... You go and say something that clouds it all up again... So, what does Cruxis think of their being angels that don't look to them? I'll admit, as heretical as it is to ask, I'm curious."

Vayla's snort made clear that she didn't give one iota what the Holy Order of Cruxis thought.

"They don't like it, but there's nothing they can do about it. Cruxis angels outnumber the Crystal Users by about ten to one, but the Crystal Users can ask the Alurannai for help should Cruxis actually manage to find one of them, which has only happed six times in the last four thousand years. Cruxis, was as oblivious to the continued existence of the Alurannai and Protozoans until about twenty years ago when we emerged from the woodwork so to speak. Sylvarant was getting critical, and we knew the next Regeneration Ritual _had_ to succeed, for Sylvarant will not likely last to see another should Collette fail. That is why we're helping, because it's our duty to safeguard the world. Faced with its destruction, we had no choice but to step in... If we can hide ourselves, our entire race of nearly ten thousand, for the better part of four thousand years and only then being discovered by our own will... Hiding three thousand Crystal Users isn't exactly going to be hard. The Alurannai support people's right to free will. So if they don't want to join Cruxis, but Cruxis tries to make them, naturally we're going to help them out."

Raine's expression was solemn.

"You don't believe in Martel do you... Don't believe in this system of Regeneration, that has kept the world alive for thousands of years despite the loss of the Giant Tree. Helping Collette... It's just for the sake of the world, and not because you or your people believe..."

Vayla remained silent for a moment, before she answered.

"Martel... yes, for I know that there is some truth to her existing in some form or other. This system.. No... I don't. My people don't. Nor do any of the other members of the Offspring Races, and that _includes_ the Greater Summon Spirits who dwell at the Seals. We tolerate the system, because for now it is the only way the world will survive. But we wait... Wait for the day that the Giant Tree promised us would come with it's dying words..."

Raine's eyes widened.

"The Prophecy of Restoration?"

Vayla looked at her and nodded.

"We wait for the day when _our_ Chosen will come. When they do, this system of regeneration and sacrifice will come to an end. For that is what the Alurannai and our fellow Offspring Races are sworn to do... _Restore the world to its proper state, with a Giant Tree to stand as Guardian and Giver of Life over it._"

Vayla lengthened her stride, pulling ahead of the half-elven woman until she had reached Lloyd's side where he walked along right behind Collette and Noishe. Watching as Vayla began to talk away to the youth in Sumaityr, Raine mulled over what she'd just been told by that enigmatic woman.

_How much patience must the Alurannai have? To wait for nearly four thousand years, and to continue to wait, in their belief in the Prophecy... To stand back and watch the people suffer and prosper alternately. To stand back and watch as Collette goes to her death... To actively ensure she reaches that death... She cares about Collette, I've seen the guilt in her eyes at times, but she keeps going anyway for the world. The Alurannai. A people so dedicated to the preservation of the world that they'll go to such lengths to keep it alive even when they don't agree with the method that Cruxis uses..._

In that moment Raine shook it off, focusing her mind on her belief in Martel and the scriptures as she continued to follow along with the army... But deep down a tiny fragment of doubt took root in her heart... What if there was another way? What if Collette never had to die?

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"You want us to sit back and do nothing?! But we came here to fight!"

The unofficial leader of the volunteers from Luin, who had been picked by virtue of the respect the people of the city had for him, leaned forward towards the alurannai woman who looked blandly back at him. Completely unfazed by his anger.

"Do you want to know why I limited the number of volunteers coming to just one thousand. I did it because a frontal assault on that Ranch would make this trip purely for revenge. If we were to attack in force, the prisoners in that Ranch would be dead before we'd even breached the walls. We're here to _save_ them. Not get them _killed_." The man fell silent, silent like the rest of the people gathered here in the large tent Vayla had brought out of her ver as a conference room of sorts. Sighing, Vayla placed her finger on the map she'd also provided of the area around the Asgard Ranch. "My people know this area well, for we keep a close eye on the Ranches. The volunteers are to wait here, beyond this ridgeline five miles from the Ranch. The terrain there is difficult, and riddled with ravines. but it's also scattered with an ample number of caves to hide you all while Collette, and the rest of us who travel as her escort, infiltrate the Ranch in a more discrete manner. Once inside I may be able to use their own magitechnology against them. Use their computers to lock large numbers of them in the parts of the Ranch away from the prisoners. If we can do that, it means we will only have a small number of Desians to deal with while leading the prisoners out of the Ranch. Once we've gotten them free, we'll hand them over to the care of the volunteers and you can all return to Luin together. I've already sent word to my people. They'll send someone to safely remove the exspheres from the prisoners once everyone is well clear of the Ranch."

The man took a step back, sitting on his stool once more so that he no longer towered over her at she regarded him from her own seat.

"And what if you can't do that?"

She grimaced.

"I blast everything that gets between us and the prisoners, and the exit. I'd rather avoid that though, since there's a chance that the prisoners may be harmed by stray spells."

"And what about _after_ you've gotten them out. The Desian's will just come after us as soon as they undo what you've done to lock them up, or will give chase right away if you can't."

Vayla folded her arms, averting her eyes.

"Ranches have in them a self destruct system in case a Ranch should ever be overrun by humans. In such an instance that the Cardinal controlling a Ranch knows there is nothing he or she can do to prevent it falling into human hands, they will use that system to completely destroy it... It is my intention to lock the Desians up, get the prisoners out... And then activate the self destruct..."

Raine began to splutter as Collette gasped.

"You mean you're going to trap them in the Ranch and then blow it up while they're still inside?!"

Collette lurched to her feet.

"But, Vayla! That's..."

"Brutal... I know... But what it comes down to is that I can either use my magic to kill those two and a half thousand Desians to stop them coming after the prisoners, leaving them to a long and lingering death should my spells not kill them immediately... Or I can lock them in, put the self destruct on silent countdown, and let them be killed instantly in the explosion with no knowledge that they are about to die... Ask yourself, from a moral stand point, which is kinder?"

Collette lowered her eyes, knowing that Vayla was right. All of a sudden, things didn't seem so simple now as they had when she'd roused the people for this rescue. It was hitting home now, that to save those people, many others would have to die... Desians to be sure, but still people. People who had been driven into that organisation by the actions of humans towards them. Collette had just been hit with a reality check, her anger finally dimming, no longer clouding her judgement.

She sat down again.

"...You're right..."

Seeing that the Chosen was agreeing with the ebon haired woman, the man who led the volunteers also finally gave his full support to the plan. No one among the volunteers would go against the plan if the Chosen agreed to it, they would wait in the caves ready to take the prisoners back to Luin as Vayla would have them do.

Glancing between her mother, Collette, and the man, Sheena asked the question that was now on all their minds.

"Myrta... Just how are we going to infiltrate that Ranch?"

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It was with an expression of grim determination that Vayla stood there as a patrol of twelve Desians came charging towards her down the forest path. A dazzling flash of light magic later, and the men and women were stumbling around unable to see for the spots dancing before their eyes. One by one, as they continued to stumble, they were dragged aside by the hands they could no longer see. A dull crack of breaking bone the only thing to reveal the fate of those taken to those still desperately trying to clear their sight.

The last man peered around, his vision finally clearing, but even then it was too late to stop the ebon haired woman that came at him from behind, ending his life with a single neat and bloodless blow to the neck.

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"You have _got_ to be kidding me..."

Collette held up a piece of the Desian uniform that the alurannai woman had just handed to her. To say it was revealing was rather an understatement. It was more accurate to say it covered enough to preserve the modesty of the woman wearing it, but still left little to the imagination.

Chuckling, Vayla pulled on her own set of the armour. The half-elven woman behind her looked about as impressed with the idea of wearing the uniforms are Collette did. Sheena had just shrugged and put hers on. After all, she'd seen worse worn by women in Tethe'alla in the name of some of the fashion fads that swept the middle classes from time to time.

Now clad in the skimpy outfit of black and mid-blue leather, studded with silvery metal plates around the bodice and on the shoulders, Vayla slipped on the helmet that completed it. Not bothered in the least that but for the arm and leg guards that attached to the black gloves and boots, her limbs were as bare as much of her lower torso was. Had she stood on a street corner in a Tethe'allan city, she would have immediately been mistaken for some kind of whore.

"The patrol I took out was an independent one that camps well out from the Ranch. They won't be missed until the end of the shift rota in two days time, when the group that will take their place for the following week heads out to relieve them. Kvar's men are notoriously sloppy at reporting in every two hours. From the jiisumura's observations, we learnt a long time ago that the crew who man their communications room in the Ranch arranged with the patrols that if a patrol doesn't call in, it's because there's nothing to report. It's not until the patrol allocation shifts that they'll actually spot that a group is missing. That makes this the easiest way to get into the Ranch. They don't check who is where, so we can simply stroll up to the Ranch gates posing as part of the patrol I took out, feigning that one of our group was injured so, lacking anything better to do, five of us brought them in. Six is half of the size of the patrol I got rid off, it won't be commented on since it implies that half the patrol is still out there."

Collette looked around the confines of the small tent they were using as a changing room, looking as if she wanted to find some way to escape. Finally, after grimacing some more... She relented and put it on. The four women came out of their tent five minutes later, to meet up with Lloyd and Genis, who thankfully after his latest growth spurt was just tall enough to fit into the smallest of the men's' uniforms.

Tactfully, the silver haired mage decided note to comment on the rather revealing outfits. After all, even with her eyes hidden by the visor of her helmet, Collette's face threatened maiming if he so much as uttered so much as a single word of a joke about it.

Thankful that the group were now well away from the waiting volunteers, even so she still blushed with embarrassment.

"I can't believe I'm actually doing this..."

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Four women and two men approached the steel gate. This single entrance through the great walls forged of electrified cables and mana shields that stretched between the huge stone pillars that rose from the low solid wall to soar almost thirty feet up above them. One of the women was limping, held steady by one of her fellow females as the taller of the two males approached one of the gate guards. Aware he'd probably be hearing about his next few words for several weeks if they pulled this off.

He gestured to the limping Collette, who wasn't entirely feigning it since she'd had the 'grace' to trip over the end of her own spear less than two minutes after being handed it.

"Patrol Forty-two. Silly bint put her foot in a rabbit hole. No accounting for common sense, eh? She should have seen it a mile off, it was in plain sight at the side of the trail. Still, any excuse to head back in to rest a few hours in a decent place instead of roughing it out there..."

Peering around Lloyd, at the girl who beneath her helmet was flushing red with either embarrassment or fury, the guard laughed and nudged the disguised alurannai in the ribs with amusement.

"Aye. Well they've gotta be useful for something. Heh heh." He looked up towards the men in the guard tower at the side of the gate. "Open it up!"

The steel gates swung inwards, and the six 'Desians' walked, or limped, inside the perimeter wall. There was a muffled squeak just after the gates closed again as Vayla, who was supporting Collette, cast a gag spell on her to stop her blurting anything... A wise precaution considering the sight they were confronted with inside the walls.

It was with a great deal of self control that they didn't react, though it was tough going even for Vayla. All around them were groups of humans dressed in ragged grey tunics and little else, being forced to haul huge weights on sleds from one end of their part of the compound to the other, back and forth, until they dropped from exhaustion only to be driven back to their feet by the blows that rained down on them courtesy of their taskmasters' whips. The compound was eerily quiet, the only sounds the occasional laugh of a Desian, which would be inevitably be followed by the pained yelp of the prisoner they'd just struck.

The six companions walked past it all, heading for the largest of the buildings within the complex, ignoring the stench of death that filled the air to haunt them. Inside the building was little better, the air still filled with that taint, enough that Genis was struggling not to gag. Collette didn't quite have the same level of will power, either that or her angelically enhanced abilities also included her sense of smell. Certainly the three alurannai were extremely tempted to cover their noses in an attempt to cut out what, to them, smelt of more than just death.

Steel lined hallways echoed with their steps, the Desians they passed giving them no more than a casual glance if that. The plan, at least this part of it, seemed to be working out perfectly.

Discretely looking around, since no alurannai had ever been inside a Ranch, and smuggling floor plans out was far to risky to endanger Renegade Agents for such a relatively insignificant piece of information. She wasn't just letting her normal perfect memory do the work for her, she was actively taking in every tiny detail she could about the Ranch's interior. Tagging snippets of information to each image she slipped away in her mind to study later.

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"We need to find a computer terminal. One that's relatively out of the way, or at least in an area without many people walking about at this time. If I can get a map to memorise, it will make this a _lot_ easier. Since I'll be able to see where the prisoners are kept, and also where the barracks are. The Desians moving out the Ranch are only a small portion of those here. Most will be in the barracks lazing about until it's their turn on guard duty or something."

They continued on, Collette finally released by Vayla both from her grip and the magical gag, her ankle healed by a quick spell so she could walk normally again. Tense minutes passed, as they carefully searched one hallway after another. It was as they neared where the corner of their current building would connect with the adjacent one that they found what they were looking for.

They entered the room from one corner, the two corners on the opposite wall also having doors that from their larger size were likely connecting doors to the next building. As Collette and Genis stood waiting, Vayla, Raine, Sheena, and Lloyd all took a side at the large multi-interfaced terminal in the centre of the room, removing their helmets so their views weren't obscured by the visors. Eyes moved over the information on the screens, as fingers flew over the keys searching for the information they sought. Seconds crawled by, until Sheena let out a triumphant whisper.

"Found it!"

A couple of key presses later and light rose in a cone shape from the centre of the ring of interfaces, an image of the Ranch's layout suspended within that field. The three alurannai began to study it intently, taking in every single detail of that map in case it might be needed later. They had just got to the point of knowing the routes to the prisoners and the Control Room when the three of them tensed, their eyes moving to the door in the corner opposite that through which they had entered.

The rattle of keys followed, the map vanishing and all four accessed terminals going dark. A split second later the door flew open, a girl dressed in black trimmed white decorated with pink and orange panels skidding to a halt, her blue eyes going wide.

Seeing that face, Genis pulled off his helmet as anger set in.

"You! You're one of those Desians that attacked the Martel Temple!"

His hand reached for his kendama, but it wasn't on his belt. All the group's normal weapons were in the vers of the three alurannai. Lacking that, he clumsily unsheathed the sword at his waist instead, gripping it with two hands as his helmet clanged to the floor.

As the cluster of fourteen men and women with her reached for weapons, Mika held out an arm, stopping them.

"No! We can't afford to delay in dealing with them. Move out!" Continuing the ruse that Mika was an enemy, Lloyd and Sheena pulled their weapons out of their vers, Sheena following suit after realising that the woman she'd known as a child was pretending to actually _be_ a Desian in front of Genis, Raine, and Collette. Mika held up her hands, empty of any weapon. "It's in both our best interest not to fight here. I've no intention of attacking you... not with what's coming up behind me."

Vayla narrowed her eyes, lifting her glaive up a little so that it was no longer pointing towards the half-elven woman's throat.

"Do what you will..."

Mika didn't hesitate any longer, sprinting through the door the group had entered through to catch up to the bag laden Harrier One. The door had barely closed behind her when the pounding of heavy boots and the clinking of weapons roared into the room through the door by which _she_ had entered.

The group spun to face it, confronted by nearly thirty Desians and a very angry looking blond haired man. Narrowed black eyes regarded them, moving from one backing up individual to the next until they settled on Lloyd. For a brief moment they widened in recognition, before he sneered.

"Well well... I expected to find the Renegade Mika, but instead I find that the precious son of Kratos Aurion has walked right into my grasp. This must be my lucky day..."

Lloyd's eyes narrowed, as his expression dared the man in his blue and gold finery to even try it.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that... Or are you forgetting what happened at that raid fourteen years ago... Five hundred you versus fifty Alurannai, and in less than a few minutes half of the attackers were dead at ten to one odds in _your_ people's favour." He gestured to the thirty soldiers behind the Cardinal. "And it seems to be the same odds here... Any bets on how long _you_ will last? After all, you aren't exactly as strong as those that were picked to raid Andorei Wrau... You don't have the _rank_..." The moment the man reached for his weapon, a snarl of rage on his face from Lloyd's goading, said Aluran Nartu doused him and the men with him with water and then froze it solid, fusing their boots to the floor. "Let's get out of here!"

He raced to the door that had yet to be used, reasoning that there would be utter chaos to plough through if they followed the path Mika and her strike team had taken. As the one of the fire mages among the soldiers began to start melting the ice that imprisoned him, his fellows, and his lord, the rest of the group followed the young alurannai into the maze of conveyor belts that filled the room beyond the door. Running along a narrow walkway between conveyor belts carrying empty glass and steel cases, it wasn't long before the pounding sound of their pursuers entering the vast room reached their ears. They had just ducked around a corner when a new conveyor belt came into view... and a new sound reached their ears... Screaming.

The glass cases that were empty on the far side of the room passed slowly into a room set into the wall high above, a room though whose windows the group could see Desians shoving something into each case as it arrived, stopped, and then moved on. When the cases left that room and continued down the new belt, the group could see just what was being put into them.

People... People locked into metal frames that stopped them from moving, but it didn't stop their screams of terror. Even muted by the glass of their prisons, those pleading cries reached the ears of the horrified companions below.

Again the sound of booted feet arrived behind them, and again they turned as Vayla bared her teeth in a grimace of fury. Some of the people they'd just seen had been children, and no alurannai adult will stand to see such an abuse of the young.

"KVAR! YOU BASTARD! _Isn't taking innocent people bad enough, that you'd use children as well?!_"

Raine turned shocked eyes to the ebon haired woman, confused.

"Vayla, what are you talking about? What do you mean by 'use'?"

Kvar laughed.

"What she means is that we use them to awaken exspheres. Exspheres extract nourishment from people in order to grow and awaken. Why else do you think we'd put so much time and effort into capturing and caring for those inferior beings. Exspheres are dormant at first, and useless. Only once they have taken mana from a host body can they be used to enhance strength and abilities... Or didn't your precious alurannai protector tell you that when she gave you those stones?"

He pointed to the exspheres that Genis and Raine were wearing, both of them staring at the gems in horror.

Lloyd took a step forward, sword in hand.

"Shut up! Do you seriously think she'd give those to them if they still had part of those people in them? There's more than one way to awaken an exsphere, and the other way doesn't involve slaughtering innocent people! You people don't use the method you do because it's the only way. You use it because your monster of a master would rather kill innocent humans than go to the effort of setting the other method up! And you're as much of a monster as he is for hurting these people like you hurt my m..."

Lloyd clenched his teeth, stopping as Kvar glared at him with a mixture of amusement and hatred.

"You mean Iike I used your mother...? That vermin of a woman! If she hadn't escaped with the Angelus Project then _I_ would be the leader of the Five Grand Cardinals! And then at that raid fourteen years ago she and that exsphere were _inches_ from Pronyma's grasp and instead she goes after _you,_ _and_ _forbids me from going near that village to retrieve what is rightfully MINE!_"

Lloyd's expression didn't change, and he didn't move so much as an inch as a few of the soldiers began to advance on the group... He didn't need to, he could hear the whispered incantation coming from Sheena behind him. The moment he heard her reach the end, he gave Kvar a mocking smile and jumped backwards pulling Genis with him. Vayla yanked Raine and Collette back as well, until all five of them were stood around the card holding alurannai girl.

She too gave him a mocking smile.

"Sorry, we'd love to say and play some more, but we have places to go."

The card she held flared, and a creature near identical to that which she had conjured at the Path of Departed Comrades appeared above the six surrounded companions. It let out a screech, and then in a flare of light both it and the people below it vanished leaving the blond haired Cardinal to roar into the empty air with thwarted malice.

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Fifteen humans and part-elves sprinted away from the Ranch, the yells of the alerted Desian patrols ringing through the trees all around them. With grins of victory, they dropped into one of the 'hides' they'd made before entering the facility, effectively dropping completely out of sight of their pursuers. Suppressing chuckles as the Desians charged past where they were hiding, it was just a few moments after the shouts had begun to fade into the distance that the unexpected happened.

Six startled people appeared out of thin air just above them, plummeting down to land right on top of the huddled mass that was Mika and Harrier One.

A mad scramble ensued, with the two groups separating to stand opposite each other after just a few seconds.

Sheena gestured at the Guardian that still hovered above them, commanding it to come to her side.

"What's wrong with you?! I told you to take us to the caves!" She tried again. "Guardian of Wind! Come to me! I command you!"

It ignored her, instead turning to face the shocked woman in white who stared at it, her eyes wide below the charcoal of her mused up hair. It moved towards her, and panicking she did the first thing she could think of when confronted by one of the Samurai Elemental Guardians of Mizuho... A Guardian which was drawn to her by virtue of her bloodline just a Milleisi had warned her would happen if she went near one, all those years ago.

She pointed at it with an out flung hand and shouted in a commanding tone.

"_Hogo sha! Suimin!_"

The Guardian stopped in its tracks, and in a flare of light it seemed to dissolve and stream back to the card that Sheena still held. As the stunned girl stared at the card containing the once again sleeping Guardian, Mika fled, Harrier One racing after her.

Raine stared after them.

"What just happened?"

Sheena continued to stare at the card.

"She... She commanded it to sleep... And it obeyed..."

---------------------------------------------------

The group had remained where they had landed, seeing no point in searching for another hiding place when they had literally been dropped into one. Sheena and Lloyd were huddled next to each other on one side, Corrine snuggled in the girl's lap as the two sat there in silence. Collette was also silent, thoughts lost in the horrors that she had seen this day. The two silver haired siblings were sat side-by-side also, each holding their exsphere and regarding it like some kind of serpent.

Vayla sighed.

"I guess I have some explaining to do..." Genis and Raine looked up at her as she continued. "Yes, I knew what the prisoners taken to the Ranches were used for. I knew how the Desians awakened their exspheres. But before you condemn me for giving you two those things, let me explain what I did to them first... The one that was on Marble, yes it was charged with mana from her, but it hadn't fully awakened. That only happens when the host dies. I used the alternative technique of submerging the exsphere in a concentrated field of mana to finish its awakening before giving it to you Genis." Her eyes darkened. "As for the one that came off that man. Yes, it was awakened when I removed it from him. When a person dies while wearing a key crestless exsphere, their consciousness is pulled into it. I made sure to push every last trace of that poor man's mind from it _before_ I gave it to you Raine. I made sure he was free of it, spent every night for nearly four weeks being sure of it, as distressing as it was to reach into that thing with my mind in order to get him out. Could you two honestly have managed on this journey up until now without them? At the very least I made sure that you could use them with a clear conscience..." She pulled her knees up to her chest, setting her chin on top of them. "If you feel you must be rid of them, then I swear I'll make sure you two stay safe without their help... But make your choice quickly, because tomorrow we're going back in there to get those people out..."

Genis blinked several times, before getting to his feet.

"What? Go back? After what happened today?"

Vayla looked up at him.

"Kvar would never expect us to try again so soon, and to be honest he probably had no idea why we even snuck in there. After all, all he saw of us was us standing in a computer room. We could have gone in purely to hack information from the Ranch's database. As for getting in again. Obviously the disguise trick won't work again. I'll figure something out though in the morning. For now, we should just rest." She lowered her gaze again. "...So... What are you two going to do?"

Genis looked at his exsphere again, thoughtful.

"I'm going to use it. Part of Marble's mana is in this stone, and I know she'd be happy to know that what she went through is giving me the strength to help protect Collette and Regenerate the world. If I threw it away... I think I'd probably disappoint her. It would make her suffering meaningless..."

Raine sighed, putting her own exsphere back on.

"I agree with Genis. As much as I dislike knowing that my exsphere works only because that man died, I thank you for ensuring he found peace. I think he too, whoever he was, would be happy to know that even in death he's making a difference... We're with you, and if you think we should go back in there tomorrow, then I think I speak for both of us when I say that we're in."

Genis nodded determinedly, putting his own exsphere back on. Behind him, Sheena looked up.

"It's settled then... Corrine, could you go to the caves and let everyone know that the first attempt failed, but that we're going to give it another go? That's they're not to give up hope because we haven't given up."

The little spirit nodded, and then vanished exposing her lap to the cold night air once more. They all looked around at each other, needing no words for the meaning of those looks to pass between them. They were a group, and as a group they would keep trying no matter what.

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Yeah I know in previous chapter and start of this one, Collette was OoC, but I was putting her in a frame of mind she'd never been in, in the game. Seriously, can you actually think of a point in the game where she was actually seriously ticked off? Basically all I did was take her usual determination and add anger to it. But as you saw, once she got over it she returned to 'normal'. I just thought it would make a nice change to portray her in a state of mind she was never shown with in the original.**

**As for the two jap words. Thanks to WingedWithFireyMana for giving me the proper words. :) I've reposted this chapter with the edit. Now Mika really does say 'Guardian! Sleep!' XD**


	30. Long Awaited Retribution

**Alaia Skyhawk: Part two of the Ranch! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 30: Long Awaited Retribution

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"I'll be back in about half an hour. Stay hidden and don't move. I'm going to see about a way to get into the Ranch."

In a blur of purple wings Vayla had vanished, leaving the other five members of the group present to sit in the hide they'd landed in the afternoon before. It was early morning... _Very_ early. As in the sun hadn't even risen yet. They were all awake though, none of them who were able to sleep having slept more than two hours over the course of the night. Sat there in the shadows of pre-dawn, the two half-elves and the Chosen did their best not to shiver in the chill that neither Lloyd nor Sheena could feel, having damped out the cold out of habit.

Wrapping his arms tight around himself, Genis sighed.

"I hope she finds a way in. I don't like the thought of sitting out here waiting only to be told we can't enter the Ranch to help those people... It would make everything we've just gone through pointless."

Raine put a hand on his shoulder, saying words although in truth she didn't really believe them herself.

"I'm sure Vayla has everything in hand."

They fell silent again. No one really knowing anything to say, that wouldn't trail off into an uncomfortable silence after a few lines.

It was a little _over_ half an hour later that they heard something land... followed by two pairs of footsteps. They got up, peering out of their hiding place into the pale light that was just beginning to filter down among the trees. Coming out of the shadows was Vayla... and another woman dressed in a simple dark-blue tunic and leggings, with a silver trimmed azure reta over the top whose collar was embroidered with some kind of flowers.

The woman's vivid green eyes glittered with tears below her rich brown hair, as she smiled and held out her arms.

"It's been a long time, my son."

Lloyd stared in shock, and then broke into a run to fling himself into the woman's arms.

"_Myrta!_"

Anna hugged him tight, before putting her hands on his shoulders and pushing him back to arm's length.

"Would that this reunion last longer, but I'm here because Vayla said you needed to get into the Ranch. Once you're done here, I'll have to go back to Nae Shiu. With Breuntas so old now, and Kratos away, I've been effectively leading the Alurannai for the past few months. I can't travel with you, as much as I want to." She looked up at the rest of her son's companions. "I am Anna Aurion, wife of Inartu Kratos Aurion. I'm here to help you rescue the prisoners. Now come with me and I'll show you a way in."

She let go of Lloyd and walked in the direction of the Ranch's outer wall, turning to walk parallel to it after a while as they headed to a point well out into the trees around it. She paused, looking around for a moment before moving on, glancing back as Collette trotted up beside her.

"So you're Lloyd's mother?"

Anna smiled at her.

"Yes, and I assume that you are Collette. I've heard much from the jiisumura that have kept watch over your progress on your journey. Tasha was particularly complimentary, and said to tell you that she's gotten the hang of Cat's Cradle now." Collette giggled as Anna continued. "And of course I've had regular reports from Vayla, both on you and my son."

The sound of someone clearing their throat came from behind. Raine this time being the one getting her attention.

"Yesterday, Kvar said something about 'using' you for something to do with an exsphere. You were a prisoner here?"

Anna's green eyes clouded with remembered pain, before she sighed and pushed those memories to one side.

"Yes. I was captured when I was fifteen, and escaped when I was nineteen. I was being used for an experiment called the Angelus Project. It was an attempt to turn an exsphere into a Cruxis Crystal." A trio of gasps came from those present who did not already know. "When I got away I was found by Noishe, and he took me to the Alurannai. The Alurannai were the ones that treated me, and saved my life. I was weeks away from that Exsphere killing me, but they gave me a second chance. It was just a few weeks later that I met Kratos for the first time. I slammed into him, knocking him over, as I was dashing to get to Vayla's spontaneous wedding on time. To be frank for him it was love at first sight, literally. It took me several months though to realise that despite my doubts about being courted by a prince, my fears that I'd be seen as some kind of prestige seeker, I loved him as much as he loved me. Things after that, as they say, are history."

Raine mulled this over before nodding. Her eyes filled with sympathy for what Anna must have suffered at Kvar's hands.

"You spent four years in that hell hole, and yet here you are leading us into that place when you suffered so much within those walls. I'm not sure I'd be strong enough to face something like that."

The green eyed woman stopped, looking back at the healer.

"When you face death, and after that face life that will never end save through illness, injury, or malicious intent. Facing the fears of the past seems small by comparison." Raine blinked, as did Genis and Collette. Anna's expression was solemn. "Vayla has told me that you Raine, and Collette, both know that there are 'angels' that are not a part of Cruxis, and that both of you know that when a Cruxis Crystal is donned the wearer stops aging." Genis was stunned, since prior to Anna stating it he _hadn't_ known. "...I am one such... The exsphere upon me had taken too much of my mana, I could no longer survive without it. It being so close to evolving into a Cruxis Crystal, the Alurannai gave it the final push and mana it needed. That act saved my life, but turned me into an angel in the process." There was a faint shimmer, and green-gold translucent segmented wings appeared at her back, glittering in the dim morning light. "I am sworn now to the Alurannai Precepts, one of which forbids suicide. Therefore I am bound to live until I die of other causes. I don't regret it, for my life has a purpose now. I watch over and lead the Alurannai for my husband and his grandfather, while both are forced to follow other paths for the sake of the world... Now, enough of delays. If you wish to ask me more, then you can do so once we're done here."

She dismissed her wings, setting off once more with Lloyd, Sheena, and Vayla following without hesitation. It took a few moments though for the impact of the revelation for the other three to wear off enough for them to move. Anna had been so frank about it. She didn't care in the slightest that by her existence outside Cruxis she was openly defying it. She lived by different rules, adopted by a people who saw things in such long term that they had spent the last four thousand years waiting for something that may or may not even happen.

The three of them watched as Lloyd sidled closer to his mother, murmuring to her in Sumaityr. Anna had looked across and slightly up at his eyes, him being slightly taller than her now. Her expression was proud as she replied in the same language. She lifted a hand, touching his shoulder lightly, the love inherent in that simple gesture and the look in her eyes conveying clearer than any words could say just how much her son meant to her.

Genis sighed. Seeing Lloyd beside his mother after so long apart, making him wonder.

"Raine... I hope we can find out what happened to _our_ parents someday..."

Looking at the ground, Raine remained silent for a moment, remembering where it was they truly came from. That distance could be a bridge neither of them could span. They might never get the chance to truly look in the _world_ where their parents, if there were alive, would be.

"I promise you, Genis, that as soon as I find _anything_ about what happened to them... I'll tell you..."

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It was just after true dawn when Anna stopped, appearing to find what she was looking for. Walking over to a large boulder set against the slope of the hill the Ranch was stood on, a boulder that had a tree stump next to it, she put a hand on that rock and looked back at them.

"Here. This is where you can get in."

The three alurannai said nothing, trusting Anna's judgement. Genis however frowned, looking confused.

"But it's just a rock... How does a rock help?"

Anna smiled, before calling together mana for a spell. Seconds later she sent a miniature gale through a near invisible gap between rock and earth, twisting it to pass through a crack in one of the walls behind and shoot out through the hole in the top of the tree stump. On that gust of wind a small crystal sphere floated up, to be grabbed by the still smiling green eyed woman. She touched it to the rock, and with the faintest of sounds it slid aside to reveal a tunnel behind.

"...Because rocks can hide things... This is the way I escaped from the ranch over twenty years ago. Now follow me and keep up." She disappeared into the darkness, a hand coming into the light again briefly to wave them forward. One by one they crouched a little and walked into the cramped passage, squeezing past Anna who then used the crystal sphere to move the boulder back into place behind them. She then pocketed the sphere, manoeuvring past them all once more to lead the way. "No sense in leaving a clue that something's up. Prepare for a long walk. This old ventilation shaft goes on for almost half a mile before it passes under the Ranch walls."

In any other situation Genis might have complained, but the seriousness of what was going on kept him silent. At least he was the lucky one. Being the shortest in the group he had to bend over the least to avoid hitting his head off the ceiling. Through the pitch darkness they trudged, only the pale light conjured by Anna and Vayla to guide their way. That glow was faint, the minimum needed for the purpose. Neither of the two women were going to take chances. Their clothing rustled as they walked, the Desian uniforms now having been abandoned. To wear them now was pointless. Even once inside the Ranch, the events of the previous day would have put those controlling the Ranch on their guard. Any unfamiliar face would immediately be noticed and questioned. Making the casual walk about of the previous day an impossibility. They had one thing on their side though. From seeing the map yesterday, Vayla, Lloyd, and Sheena already knew where a less conspicuous computer room was located... And Anna already knew the best way to lead the prisoners out.

On and on they walked in the darkness, hushed whispers few and far between. In the end it took almost two hours to traverse the half a mile of tunnel and emerge into one of the Ranch's main ventilation ducts via a loose panel that blocked off the end of the disused one they had used to enter the facility. Everyone dropped to hands and knees, which would be a much quieter way to negotiate the air ducts. They crawled onwards, glancing out of grilles set in the sides of the ducts at intervals, catching glimpses of Desians patrolling hallways. They were halfway to the computer room that was their initial target, when Anna lifted one of the grilles off and dropped soundlessly down into the tiny empty room they were passing over.

Vayla stuck her head out of the duct, hissing in agitation.

"Anna! What are you doing?"

The future Unarim looked up with a grin, and pointed to a large metal cabinet that covered all of the wall opposite the tiny room's door.

"This is the central switchboard for the Ranch's internal com system, most of the door mechanisms, and also the audio and visual alerts of the alarm system. All of the prisoners in this place will know about it, just as we all did back when_ I _was imprisoned here. After all I've learnt among the Alurannai, I know more than enough to clip and cross a few key wires so that when we're inevitably spotted and someone triggers the alarm, the alarm locks the doors to the barracks instead of the facility exits, and that neither the siren nor the alert lights trigger in the barracks or outside of the main buildings. Basically, when they try to trap us they'll trap their own people who will remain oblivious to the alert, and the doors seem like they've suffered some kind of short circuit. I'll even cross a few wires so that the alarm freezes up the internal com." Anna's grin was now wicked, and after a moment of searching through the items in the ver on her left wrist, she pulled out a pair of pliers, opened the cabinet, and set to work as those still up in the duct crowded round the open grille and watched her. It took Anna almost twenty minutes to finish, but when she had the job was so neat that the mass of wiring inside the cabinet looked untouched. She chuckled as she stepped back. "Let's see them fix that... Heh heh, I've even made it so that the door into here locks when the alarm sounds... Oh, and that the alarm can't be turned off... To turn the alarm off they'll have to get in here and rewire the board, but as long as the alarm is sounding they can't even _open_ the door."

Her wings appeared for a brief moment, boosting her jump so that she easily made it back into the duct. Pulling the grille back into place, she melted it to the surrounding duct for good measure.

Genis stared at her in awe.

"Lloyd... Your mom is so cool..."

Anna winked at him.

"Why thank you. C'mon, we've got a computer to hack."

They moved on, reaching the computer room they were headed for before it was even mid morning. Dropping one by one from the air duct, weapons that had been placed in vers to make the travel through the ducts easier were handed out to their respective owners.

Anna and Vayla set to work on the computer, rapidly bringing up the map from the previous day and also beginning a more complicated hack into the database's security files. Vayla glanced up, though her fingers didn't stop moving over the keyboard.

"The prisoners are still in their cells, so it looks like our little intrusion yesterday did us some good." She cursed a little, as she found a dead end in the information and began to search another section. "Anna, do you know any other useful pieces of intel about this place? Things that were found out by the prisoners."

Anna continued to type, searching for a particular security file.

"To get into the Control Room you have use a teleportation panel, but while the alarm is active the panel is disabled. There's a manual override somewhere in the Ranch in case of emergencies. Unfortunately that panel is one of the things that wasn't wired on the board back in that room or I would have isolated it from the alarm. The self destruct control will be up there, there's no doubt about that, which means we'd better know where the override is _before_ we try to get in."

The rest of the group watched in silence, while the two women's fingers danced over keys so fast they were impossible to follow. The image of the Ranch within the field of the computer's projector changed bit by bit, more and more details coming up or disappearing again while Vayla and Anna searched. Minutes passed, the drumming of keys like the innumerable ticks of a clock marking time. Eventually Vayla let out a small exclamation.

"Anna, I think I've found it. The Ranch has two cell blocks, and in an isolated room at the back of each is a switch controlling the alarm lockout of the Control Room access." She pressed several keys, the two locations appearing at flashing markers at the far ends of two buildings on the Ranch's eastern side. "According to this, both must be activated to remove the lockout. That's good news for us. They probably hid them there since putting them near the prisoners would seem foolish. We're here to release the prisoners anyway, so going into the cell blocks to get to the overrides isn't even a slight detour."

She pressed another key, trying to magnify the image. Instead the computer suddenly shut down and sirens began to blare.

Anna pulled a glaive out of her ver, having been taught to use that weapon by Vayla over the past few years.

"Looks like the time for sneaking around is over. Let's get moving!"

Vayla grabbed her arm, bringing her to a halt.

"Anna, you can see on that map as well as I can that the overrides and the Control Room are on opposite sides of the Ranch. While wiring the alarm to lock down the barracks instead of the exits until it stops means we won't have the entire population of Desians here to plough through, it won't stop those in the Control Room locking down the exits manually from there. The only way we're going to get those prisoners out of here now that we've been detected is if we split up. Half of us will have to head for the Control Room Access, while the rest head to let the prisoners out and activate the overrides... Anna, can you honestly tell me that you can face Kvar and not lose it? Can you face him and not let past emotions cloud your judgement?"

The green eyed angel looked at her, and after a moment her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"No... I cannot guarantee that... I'll head to activate the overrides."

As the flash of red lights continued, Lloyd walked up to his mother.

"Myrta, I'll make sure that, if we meet Kvar, he pays for what he's done." He looked at Vayla, eyes commanding. He was pulling rank on this. "I'll lead the Control Room Team... Vayla, those prisoners will likely be in a bad way. We need our best healer to go with Myrta to free them... You're our best healer... I'll take Raine and Genis with me. Sheena too. Collette can go with you, those prisoners will need the hope she can give them by being there."

Looking at her mother, as Raine and Genis nodded in agreement with the reasons, Sheena made a small hand gesture.

"Corrine!" The little spirit appeared beside her. "Corrine, go with Myrta and the others. Act as a scout for them so they can get the prisoners to safety once the overrides have been activated."

Corrine said nothing, instead trotting over to stand at Vayla's feet. The ebon haired woman frowned.

"But what if you're attacked?"

Lloyd grinned.

"We'll be fine, Vayla. Don't worry. We can take care of ourselves against a few Desians..."

----------------------------------------------------

Screams of agony echoed down the passageway, as a group of alerted Desians were flattened by the two glaive wielding women and the blond haired girl with them. Against an adult alurannai and two angels, albeit one of them only having half of the full range of abilities, the small groups they were encountering stood little chance against the determined advance of the trio and the little spirit that accompanied them. Leaving the mob where they lay, they set off again at a full run in the direction of the cell blocks on the Ranch's eastern side.

Stumbling a little as she leapt over the last of the corpses, Collette gripped her chakrans tightly. Ready to throw them at a moment's notice should another group of Desian's cross their path.

"How much further? We need to hurry or the others will reach the Access before we've unlocked it for them."

Vayla didn't turn, didn't stop running as she answered.

"At the end of this hallway we'll reach the exit of this building. The two cell blocks are across one of the work yards. If I take one, and you and Anna take the other, we should be able to have it open before they get there."

They reached the end of the hall, bursting out through the doors into the open air, where true to Anna's word the sirens and lights weren't active. That didn't really help though, since those Desians that weren't locked in the barracks had been alerted by those that had come out of the main buildings. There were close to three hundred Desians in sight the four companions and the cell blocks.

A shout went up, one of the Desians nearby spotting them. Like a whirlpool sucking them in, every soldier within sight and close to a hundred more from further around the yards came streaming towards them.

Collette threw her chakrans skywards, her hands moving to cast a spell as soon as they left her fingers. Pink and gold wings flared into life, and a storm of feathers were thrown into the teeth of that charging mass to rend close to a dozen limb from limb. The rings descended, caught neatly by the girl who then proceeded to whittle down those that came at her the way she'd reduced her practice sticks to tinder. In a dance of wood and steel, Vayla was defending the other side, Corrine keeping the centre clear by harassing anyone that came close and tripping them up. The curved blade of her glaive cut through the attackers like the scythe commonly depicted as part of the symbolic image of death incarnate... and just a deadly. At the heart of this trio of defenders, Anna stood with her left hand pressed to her chest, the other moving in graceful patterns as the incantation fell from her lips as an intonation of doom.

"Sacred powers... Cast your purifying light upon these corrupt souls... Rest in peace sinners..." Her eyes opened, as her moving hand lifted up and then fell down as a signal of finality. "JUDGEMENT!"

The morning sky turned dark, so dazzling was the screaming rays of light that descended like white death upon the now tightly clustered Desians. Anna poured more and more of her power into the spell, sustaining it far beyond its normal duration until the only sound remaining in the yard was that of earth sent flying by the impacts.

The spell ended, Anna dropping to her knees as the after effected of expending so much mana made them buckle. Collette rushed to her side, her face a mask of concern.

"Anna!"

The green eyed angel pushed herself to her feet using her glaive, which she'd placed on the ground beside her while casting, as a prop.

"I'm fine, but I won't be casting any more spells for a few days. That near cleaned me out. I can still fight hand-to-hand though. Just give me a moment to get my breath back."

Reassured that Lloyd's mother was alright, Collette finally turned her attention back to her surroundings, and gasped in shock. She, Vayla, and Corrine had only killed about twenty when Anna had cast the spell... And now there were close to four hundred charred corpses covering the yard before them like a black and red carpet. That one spell had killed over three hundred in a single wave of blasts.

Vayla called up a gust of wind, blowing the bodies out of the way so that there was a clear path to the cell blocks.

"Collette, I know you'll have been taught what that spell can do during your lessons from the Church. You can think on the true devastation it can cause later, but for now the people locked up need you to focus on what you have to do to get them to safety."

Anna broke into a run, having recovered enough to continue on. Looking at the spell scars on the ground one last time, Collette nodded and took a shuddering breath before running after her, Vayla and Corrine bringing up the rear as they charged towards the cell blocks.

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The two adolescent alurannai leading the way cut down yet another mob of Desians they encountered in the passage ways. Behind them the silver haired siblings conserved their mana in case the group should meet something that the two youths couldn't handle on their own. So far things were proving easy in terms of their progress through the facility, and when they'd headed out of one building and over to the Command Building the yard outside had been almost completely deserted, with some Desians actually cowering in corners blubbering for mercy for some reason... A reason that was probably something that had happened on the opposite side of the Ranch... A reason that likely had something to do with Vayla, Anna, Collette, and Corrine.

They charged into the next building, taking down the scattered small groups of Desians with ease. The Command Building was even more sparsely populated that the previous building had been. Running through the eerie emptiness, Raine looked around nervously.

"Something doesn't feel right. Where are all the Desians in here?"

Lloyd looked back over his shoulder.

"We'll worry about that later. Right now we need to concentrate on doing our job. We _have_ to make sure my myrta and the others have a safe route to get those people out of here!"

They kept going, racing for the final hallway that led to the Command Access point.

----------------------------------------------------

"Arrgggh, _stupid door!_"

The Desian thumped on the sliding panel, which remained motionless no matter how many times he kicked it. Several dozen others were crowded behind him, several starting to complain.

"Looks like the maintenance guys have been slacking again. Those idiots probably split something on the main fuse board again like they did last year. Lord Kvar let them off that time, but this time they're seriously gonna get it."

This scene was being repeated at every one of the barracks' exits, and tempers were beginning to fray. There was nothing to indicate anything was wrong. No alarms and nothing coming in over the intercom. All that seemed to be the problem was all the doors were stuck.

The Desian kicked the door again, swearing as yet more of his fellows crowded into the hallway behind him.

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The prisoners looked up from where they sat in the darkened confines behind the steel bars that separated them from the hallway, hearing the thud of running feet. A woman dressed in purple and gold sprinted past, her ebon hair coming loose of the tie that held it bunched high at the back of her head. They rushed to the bars as a little fox-like creature followed her, trying to see where she was going. Trying to figure out just who she was until one of those most recently captured recognised her and let out a shout.

"She's one of the Chosen's protectors! If she's here then the Chosen is here! They've come to save us!"

Her voice echoed down the length of the block, setting off a clamour of pleas as Vayla ignored them all and raced for the override hidden so cleverly at the block's rear. That came first, since unless Lloyd and the others got the exit route opened, the prisoners wouldn't be going anywhere anyway.

_So far your little rewiring job seems to be doing the trick, Anna. This would have been a nightmare to pull off if not for you._

Vayla kept running, reaching the end of the hallway and sending a blast of raging mana at the back wall. The blast melted the steel panels, making them drip away like thick syrup. She wasn't in the mood to mess around finding the opening mechanism of the room's hidden door. Leaping over the resulting pool of molten metal, Vayla landed inside the tiny room and yanked on the wall mounted lever opposite its new 'door'.

She turned, leaping over the metal again, racing back down the hallway, this time her glaive swinging out every time she passed a cell... Each barred door dropping free of its frame as she sliced through the locks and hinges like paper.

----------------------------------------------------

The brown haired woman ignored the pleas, practically dragging Collette behind her to prevent the girl from stopping.

"We can let them out on the way back! Right now though Lloyd and the others need us to open the way for them!"

The pair kept going, stopping when they reached the back of the cell block. Anna tried to slash the wall open with her glaive, but only managed a small hole. She was about to hit it again when a storm of pink feathers tore into it.

Collette grinned at her and walked towards the now heavily weakened but still holding wall.

"Here, let me hel... Whoa!" Anna winced as the girl tripped on one of the chunks of metal that had been torn free... And slammed right through what was left of the panel... Collette looked up from where she now lay and blushed. "Whoops..."

She got up and pulled the lever, before stepping carefully though the figure shaped hole in the shredded metal wall. Anna just shook her head in amusement.

"Let's get these people out of here..."

**----------------------------------------------------**

"We're almost there! Just around this corner and... Oh crap!"

The four of them skidded to a halt, finding that between them and the teleportation panel visible in the distance, the hallway leading to it was packed with about fifty Desians... And they had mana guns... Big ones... There were about ten, and every single one of them pointed at the four intruders and fired.

"GUARDIAN!"

Sheena was driven backwards several feet, taking the others with her, but her hastily raised shield deflected the blasts and gave them all the chance to duck back around the corner.

Lloyd allowed himself an extremely quick peek around the corner, and was greeted by another barrage that slammed into the wall opposite the hallway's end when he ducked out of the way again.

"Those things are fixed to the floor, and there's power cables that run into the walls from them which means they're a permanent and long term part of the defences... I guess Vayla and my myrta didn't find all the security info on this part of the Ranch."

Genis stared at him.

"You think? How the heck are we going to get past those guys?"

Sheena pulled a card out from her belt.

"I could try my last Guardian. At least if they blast it to bits it will just go back to sleep until it's restored at the village again."

Lloyd looked at her and nodded.

"Do it."

The alurannai girl conjured the creature with a quick incantation and then sent it charging down the hallway... It didn't even get halfway...

Ducking back into cover as another barrage greeted her looking to see what had happened to it, she pressed herself against the wall as it trembled.

"Ok... Time for Plan B."

Genis piped up.

"I could fill the hallway with mist. Maybe that will help."

Again Lloyd nodded.

"It's worth a try." A constant barrage of volley after volley greeted that tactic, the mist shredded in just a few seconds leaving the four of them still pressed against the wall around the corner. "O-kay... Time for Plan C."

This time it was Raine who made a suggestion.

"Perhaps if Sheena uses that Alurannai Shield Spell, and we move slowly down the hallway behind her until we're close enough to hit them with magic. We've seen in the past that that spell can be maintained while moving."

Sheena gave a long look in the direction of the wall opposite the hallway... It was... Well... Let's just say it didn't look much like a wall anymore...

"Plan D. There's no way I could hold those off long enough."

The half-elven woman began to mull over another idea.

"How about I dazzle them with my light magic?"

Genis slammed his hand onto his forehead.

"Sis, that's just the same as me using mist. They'll just fire again and again until their sight clears..."

They all fell silent, the laugher of the Desians echoing to where they stood. Lloyd suddenly blinked, took a quick peek around the corner, ducked back, and then glanced at them as the inevitable blasts hit the... 'mess' was a more accurate name now.

"I've got an idea... Plan E... I got a better look, and those things don't pivot all the way around. If I light jump behind them they can't fire them at me because they won't be able to turn them... Only one problem... I've never light jumped before and I've only ever seen my ata do it once when he was explaining it to my myrta... And he told her that 'bending' a light jump around a corner takes months to master... which means I'll have to stand in the line of fire to have a chance of actually getting behind them..."

Genis gaped at him.

"Are you _crazy?!_"

The return look was bland.

"Do you have a better idea?"

"Umm..."

"I didn't think so..." Lloyd looked at his crèche mate. "Sheena, can you put the song shield up to give me a few seconds? That way at least if I can't do it I don't get blasted."

She nodded.

"I'll give it my all."

As soon as the golden barrier materialised over the end of the hallway Lloyd stepped out and faced the Desians. The mana guns fired as he frantically pictured the light surrounding him, asking it to carry him to the open space between them and the teleportation panel. The shield shuddered under the first volley, and the second, and the third, Sheena wincing with each round sinking lower and lower to her knees, gritting her teeth as she held it.

Lloyd kept his eyes closed, trying to ignore the death inches from him.

"Be the light. Be the light. Be the light. Be the light. Be the light." He opened his eyes to see the shield flickering madly and the guns about to fire again. "Oh shit!"

One second he was seeing the shield splinter... the next he was introduced to a wall. He dropped to the floor with a thud and a groan, a mob of fifty shocked Desians turning a hundred and eighty degrees to stare at him... He'd light jumped behind them alright, and smack into the wall beyond the panel.

He stood up, dizzy from the impact as one of the Desian's pointed at him.

"Uh... Ummm... A-Attack him!"

Lloyd snapped out of his daze, sending a storm of scarlet feathers into the mob. Screams rang out, and in the confusion his three friends ran up the hallway unmolested to blast their way through the mob from the rear. A manic fight ensued, lasting less than a minute before the Desians crumpled under the mass of Genis' magic and Lloyd and Sheena's brute strength. It was with a sigh of relief that they stepped onto the teleportation panel.

The usual stomach twisting lurch later and they were stood in a huge circular room, lined around all sides with computers and dominated in its centre by the large Master Terminal... At which was sat none other than Kvar himself.

He stood up slowly, walking out from behind the desk with his staff in hand. A pound of that staff on the floor and three strange stone devices descended from the ceiling to hover just above the floor between him and them.

"So... You've come back... Are you truly that eager to die?"

Lloyd clenched his swords tightly, glaring at the man that had tortured his mother for four years.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Kvar. It's _you_ who's going to die!"

Eyes lit with malicious amusement, the Cardinal sneered.

"Oh but I am... You may have defeated many Desian soldiers to reach me, but my strength is by far superior to theirs!"

He swung his staff upwards, bringing it down to point at them, sending a bolt of lightning screaming down on where they'd stood moments before scattering.

The battle had begun...

----------------------------------------------------

Prisoners huddled before the gate, trapped inside the Ranch walls waiting for Lloyd and the others to take control of the Command Room and unlock them. Collette moved among them, doing her best to reassure them despite the sun's climb past zenith to begin descending towards the western horizon. Lloyd and the others... They were talking a long time... Much longer than was anticipated.

Anna paced back and forth before the gate, careful now to show nothing of her angelic nature before the prisoners and wishing as much as Vayla was that it would be safe to blast the gate open. But with the mana the walls contained to maintain the shields between the electrified cables, the chances of causing a backlash explosion was too risky. Such an explosion could kill hundreds of the people they were trying to save.

"Lloyd... Please be safe..."

She stopped and turned to face the Command Building in the far corner of the facility from this gate on the southern side. Vayla also turned, and Corrine... All three praying that everything was alright...

----------------------------------------------------

"'We'll be fine, Vayla. Don't worry. We can take care of ourselves against a few Desians.' Yeah right, we took care of the Desians but it's the Cardinal that's the problem!"

You might think that two alurannai and a pair of half-elves would be able to take on one man, but when you took into account that the alurannai were both beginners at dealing with magic at this level and one of the half-elves was only thirteen, things weren't going too well. Kvar was nearly six hundred years old and had spent almost all of it with the Desians. The organisation was a harsh teacher, and he had learned long ago how to maximize the damage and pain inflicted by his spells... and he was now using that knowledge against them.

Sheena threw herself to the side, barely managing to dodge a lightning bolt that melted the floor where she had been stood. Acrid smoke rose from it to sting her eyes as she took check of the situation.

Lloyd was having as little luck at getting close to Kvar as she was. What with the three Lightning Stones Kvar was using getting in the way all the time. Dealing with their constant disruption left them exposed to attack if they tried to get past them, forcing the two of them to call on what few distance attacks they had. None of which, unfortunately, they were particularly accurate with since half of their attacks didn't come even close to hitting him. They weren't using their magic. Sheena's spells were very limited, and Lloyd's best element at the moment was lightning... Which was rather pointless to use since Kvar was almost completely immune to it.

Genis was faring better, but was also the focus of most of Kvar's retaliation. The young half-elf was spending more time dodging than he did casting as the Cardinal concentrated on him as the greatest threat.

Raine, she was the only one who had yet to be attacked, but she was wearing down her strength with healing them and they suspected that that was the point. As soon as she became exhausted, Kvar would end it.

The fight wore on, Sheena and Lloyd eventually forced to move back and defend Genis in the hope his spells could bring the Cardinal down. That turned out to be their undoing...

K'var sneered as he brought one of his most powerful spells crashing down on the clustered trio.

"INDIGNATION!" They scattered, trying to get away but failing, the spell flinging them all to the floor as Raine desperately tried to heal them. The three Lightning Stones, no longer occupied with the youths, turned on her and rendered her unconscious after a single barrage of attacks... Kvar looked on at her as she fell, and laughed. "You fools. You set a trio of children and a school teacher against a Cardinal. A mistake that will, I assure you, cost you your lives."

He strolled towards Lloyd where he lay groaning on the floor, and aimed at kick at the boy's side.

"_Dallinius!_"

Kvar suddenly stumbled as a small white wolf latched onto his ankle, snarling.

"What the? Get off me you little pest!"

Something flashed past to the Cardinal's left, so fast it was little more than a blur. One of the Lightning stones shattered.

"Dallinius, you can let go."

The voice came from nowhere, the blur flashed past again as Dallinius released his grip and yet another of the Lightning stones fell. Kvar spun round, eyes searching, the spirit backing away from him growling.

"Show yourself! Just who are you to interfere?!"

The third Lightning Stone exploded, sending shards tinkling across the floor.

"..._Your worst nightmare_..." Kvar was suddenly flung across the room to slam into the wall. Where he had been standing, a figure clothed in shades of purple, wearing a silver trimmed azure reta, was stood in his place. The figure's head lifted, intense brown eyes becoming visible beneath a veil of auburn hair. "You are the fool, Kvar."

The Cardinal scrambled to his feet, pressing against the wall as he tried to back away from the spectre of death that stood before him.

"K-Kr..." The was another blur, and a moment later Kvar was pinned to the wall by the flame-like sword through his stomach. He snarled in agony, as smoke rose from where the blade pierced him. "Kratos, you pathetic inferior being! You and all the other inferior races will be wiped out like the vermin you are!"

Kratos wrenched Flamberge out of the wall and the Cardinal, standing back and holding his sword in what was almost a salute. He lunged in once more, a slash of his blade punctuating every phrase.

"Then feel the pain!" The sword arched upwards. "Of those inferior beings!" Came slashing down. "As you _burn in hell_..." He stood there over Kvar, blade pointed at the dying man's throat while he stared down at him with dark eyes. "That is what you get for harming Anna, and what you get for attacking my son"

Kratos turned away as the Cardinal choked his final breath, and walked back to where Lloyd lay, Dallinius coming over the trot at his side as the mana swirled around him. Green light flared softly as gentle winds circled the chamber, healing the injuries of his allies within it.

Raine pushed herself up onto her knees with a groan, Genis slowly sitting up just a short way from her. Sheena was nudged awake by Corrine who had appeared beside her after abandoning the other group after sensing Kvar's spell hit her. All of them watched as the man who had saved them reached down and pulled the disorientated boy to his feet.

Holding a hand to his head, Lloyd peered blearily at the man next to him, then with a gasp of recognition threw himself into the man's arms.

"_Atasi!_"

Kratos' smile was visible over Lloyd's shoulder, as he ruffled the boy's already messy hair.

"I've missed you... Missed you more than any words can say, my aturu."

Lloyd began to sob into his father's reta, overcome with the emotion of this long awaited reunion.

"I've missed you too... Ata..."

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**Alaia Skyhawk: (Screams) WOO HOO! I FINALLY GOT TO POST THAT END SCENE!! I'VE HAD THAT WRITTEN FOR MONTHS! ALL HAIL 'THE LINE'! ALL HAIL KRATOS FOR SAYING IT! HE'S BACK:D**


	31. And then there were Eleven

**Alaia Skyhawk: KRATOS IS BACK! WEEEEE!!**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 31: And then there were Eleven

-

The magical barriers that lay suspended between the electrified cables spluttered and died, the whine of the power through those wires fading into silence. Everyone in the yard turned to face the gate, hope etched onto their faces, as moments later they swung open with barely a sound.

"Get everyone out into the woods! Don't stop running until you reach the caves!"

Vayla waved the fleeing prisoners through the gate, pointing them in the direction they needed to go to reach the army of waiting volunteers. No one panicked, there was nothing chasing them, but still they hurried enough that, as weak as some of them were from their captivity, they picked up those too young or old to keep up and carried them. It didn't take long for the eight hundred or so prisoners to get out of the Ranch, as many as there were they vanished quickly from sight into the forest surrounding the facility. She turned, looking towards the Command Building again, thinking about Corrine's sudden disappearance from her side. For a moment she'd believed something had gone wrong, yet now just a short while later the gates had opened, indicating everything was fine... Or at least she hoped so.

_Please let nothing have happened..._

She left, racing into the trees after Anna, Collette, and the escapees. She would find out soon enough.

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"I've deactivated the defences and opened the gate. Everyone is out of the facility."

Raine got up from the chair in front of a computer terminal, its screen showing and image of the open gates and now empty yard. She faced the auburn haired man sat at the Master Terminal, watching as his fingers flew over the keyboard and his son stood at his shoulder watching.

Kratos didn't turn his head, keeping his gaze fixed on the screen before him.

"Very well, I'll set the self destruct timer for ten minutes. I've almost finished hacking my way through the password protection on it." He fell silent, eyes intense with concentration. A minute or so later he got up and with a single thrown bolt of mana he smashed the circular skylight directly above where he stood. The glass flew up and outwards, none of it falling down into the room. "Done, now let's get out of here." He looked at her. "I apologise for the abruptness, but we don't have time to chat. Lloyd! Sheena!"

The two adolescents each grabbed one of the startled half-elven siblings and carried them out of the shattered skylight. Dalli and Corrine both vanishing as Kratos soared out on his azure wings after them. Buildings shot past below them, as all three alurannai flew as fast as they could to get away from what was now a ticking time bomb. The ground below became a mass of trees and soon the alurannai man led them through a gap in the canopy to fly among the trees themselves, homing in on his crèche mate whose mind he could sense.

Hearing the sound of wings, Vayla stopped and turned to see three figures land and break into a run without even stopping, the passengers carried by two of them stumbling with the momentum of the landing before regaining their balance. Seeing who was in the lead, she broke into a grin of joy.

"Kratos!"

He shot past her without so much as slowing in the slightest.

"Run now, talk later!"

She ran after him. They all did, keeping running until a sudden shaking of the ground sent them all sprawling. The thunderous boom split the skies, a gale of unnatural winds whipping between the trees for a few moments before dying away as fast as it had come.

Lloyd pushed himself to his feet.

"I think we can stop running now..."

He looked around, as one by one they all broke into relieved laughter... They'd done it. The prisoners were safe... and Yggdrasil was down one Ranch all due to the instigation of this attack by his own precious Chosen...

-----------------------------------------------

"Kratos!"

Anna laughed with joy as she flung herself into her husband's arms to be lifted up and spun round by the man she hadn't seen for over a year. The pair were then slammed into by the brown haired boy who like them wore an azure reta, trimmed in white versus their silver. The two of them freed up an arm, pulling their son into a hug as all three of them clung to each other as though they might never let go. Tears streamed down faces, as murmured words passed between them.

Watching this reunion, Vayla wiped a tear of joy from her face.

"At long last, they're together again. Kratos' path is with his son now. If he's here then the duties that have forced him to be elsewhere are completed."

Collette stared in stunned silence, as Raine watched also, murmuring.

"The Inartu of the Alurannai. Their Crown Prince and next in line to lead them. A man who has dedicated everything in his life to his people, who will never stop serving as their guardian for as long as he may live... What kind of person must it take to make such a commitment?"

Vayla sighed.

"One that understands that service to others, to give oneself freely to that, is worth the personal sacrifices one must make. He lives knowing that by doing so he is making a daily difference to the lives of his people. Giving them security, a person to whom they can always turn in times of need. A person who they know would gladly give his life if fate asked for it in order to preserve this world... It is a great responsibility, a terrible burden, but also the greatest blessing fate can give him. He will never lack a purpose. Never have to wonder his place in the world. He's known his purpose all his life... Just as his son knows his..."

She gazed at Lloyd, who had tears running constantly down his face. Such was the welter of emotions running through him at being with both his parents again. Nearby the mass of rescued people were being tended to by the army of volunteers. The group would leave soon, the escapees safe in the care of those who would make sure they made it back to Luin.

Just then, Anna pulled back from her husband and son, wiping the tears from her eyes as she took a deep shuddering breath.

"I... I'd best be going... I must get back to Nae Shiu. There's so much I have to look after, things I've left on hold that can't afford to wait longer than necessary." She looked at her son. "I'm sorry, Lloyd. I want to stay, but I can't... My Oath of Service calls." She began to back up. "I'll see to it that help is sent to safely remove the exspheres from the escapees..." She spun around and ran. "Hirretenu!"

"Anna!"

"Myrta!"

Father and son watched as she vanished into the surrounding forest, though neither of them moved to follow her. Both knew it just had to be this way...

Collette stared after Anna in shock.

"But... She'd only just seen them both again..."

Lloyd closed his eyes, biting his lip as a tear of sadness this time trickled down his face.

"She had to... Our people need her to be there. That's just the way it is for the Nartana."

He too turned and ran, both away from where his mother had gone, Noishe following him. Away from the caves where the army was. Watching his son go, Kratos bowed his head, shoulders slumped.

"We'd best move on. We can cover several miles before sundown. Lloyd will catch up when he feels ready. Noishe will keep an eye on him."

He began to walk away, heading south-east through the trees. Vayla hurried to follow him, as did Sheena, Mezo, and the two little spirits that were sat nearby. Realising that he wouldn't stop, wouldn't let them camp with the escapees and the army, Raine, Genis, and Collette followed wearily behind.

-----------------------------------------------

It was well after nightfall that Lloyd and Noishe arrived in the camp, the boy and his Protozoan both subdued as he wordlessly went into the tent that had been set up ready for him. He didn't even bother to get into his sleeping bag, instead just flopping down on top of it and lying there silent.

Collette looked sadly in his direction, but said nothing, instead settling herself down into the trance state Vayla had taught her in an attempt to find some respite from her own mess of emotions. Genis and Raine had both succumbed to exhaustion over an hour before, neither able to stay awake despite wanting to be when Lloyd got back. Noishe whimpered as he lay down in front of his friend's tent, Mezo letting out an unhappy whistle from where he sat outside of Sheena's. It was into this uncomfortable silence that Kratos sent his thoughts out.

**Vayla... The installation of the backups is complete. I was not detected at any of the Seals, so even if he discovers them, there's nothing Yggdrasil can do about them now. The Bypass System is ready...**

Vayla sighed.

**At least that's one good thing... I hope Lloyd recovers from today quickly... He's a lot like you, Kratos... And just as prone to shut himself off from people as you are when depressed. Make sure you have a good long talk with him. He needs you, now more than ever.** She let out a small half-hearted laugh. **And you can take over his and Sheena's summoning lessons... I officially admit defeat and declare that I am hopeless at teaching children. Teaching adults healing arts, I'm good at, but I just can't seem to keep those two's attention on a subject for more than ten minutes at a time.**

Kratos directed a glance in his son's direction, and got up.

**In which case I'm going to do the one thing that always worked with me to snap me out of it...**

He walked over to his son's tent, nudged Noishe out of the way, and grabbed Lloyd by his ankle. Dragging his startled and struggling son out of it, he headed out into the darkness as Lloyd started to swear... Only to be magically gagged by his father as he was pulled out of sight.

-----------------------------------------------

Lloyd's foot dropped to the ground with a thud as his father finally let go of his ankle. They were so far out into the forest from the camp that the light from the fire was no longer visible. Glaring at his father, he stumbled to his feet, his anger overriding his depression.

"What did you do that for?!"

"To snap you out of your wallowing in self pity so that you can do something more constructive... Vayla dragged me off like that to beat sense into me often enough back during the war that the 'drag method' was highly likely to work with you... So I thought I'd try it."

Lloyd blinked at him for several seconds, before relaxing and averting his eyes.

"It worked... I've spent half the day moping already. I guess it's kinda pointless for me to mope more. Why'd you bring me all the way out here though? I was ticked off enough at you after the first twenty yards."

Kratos folded his arms.

"Vayla informs me that she's been teaching you and Sheena advanced summoning arts, and that both of you seem to have short attention spans on the subject. _I_ will be teaching you from now on, and _your_ first lesson starts now. Now get in a casting stance and call Krishka. You have a default pact with him, so you should instinctively know the chant already. No 'if's or 'but's, just try it. Even with the difficulty Vayla has had in teaching you, you should know enough of the basics to summon him here."

Kratos watched as his son goggled at him, and narrowed his eyes when the boy continued to hesitate.

Lloyd relented did as he was told, a large summoning circle forming immediately, though it spluttered a bit.

"I call upon the Incarnation of the Spirits of the Past. The Guardian of the Hope and Promise of New Life! I summon thee! Come, Krishka!"

Lloyd dropped to his knees gasping, as Krishka appeared above him and looked down.

"Not a bad first try..." He looked at the Inartu. "Was it really such a good idea to have him summon me though after the energy he's expended today? That casting has near knocked him out."

Krishka was immediately on the receiving end of a glare that could have killed at fifty paces.

"Mind your own business... Lloyd has a lot to learn in a short space of time, and I can't afford to go easy on him. The _worlds_ cannot afford for me to go easy on him. Sheena will be getting the same I assure you." He looked at his son. "Get up!" A single gesture and a small white wolf appeared at his side. "Now that I've seen you can cast a summoning, you are going to make your first non-default pact... Dallinius and I discussed this a while back. You are going to fight him as you would have to if he were in his true form, and you will do so every night after I train you and Sheena until you succeed in besting him and make a pact. By tiring you out first I will make sure the playing field between you two is even before you start... Now ready yourself!"

With a howl Dallinius charged at the shocked alurannai youth, bowling him over by knocking his feet out from under him. As Lloyd scrambled to his feet, he came around and called up a burst of mana.

"FLARE STRIKE!"

It hit Lloyd, knocking him over again. Again Lloyd got up, and the fight continued...

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_Alysii... After all this time we meet again... But you had one of Mizuho's Guardians... Does that mean it was them who found and raised you? The irony... They lose one summoner... and get another who they later send to kill Sylvarant's Chosen..._

Mika sighed as she sat there in the darkness. Fiuras perched in his usual place snuggled against her ear. To be confronted by one of the Guardians from her homeland, it had been a shock, and had opened up a well of pain and emotions she'd long thought buried.

"Uncle... I wish I could have stayed... I only hope that once this is over, then perhaps I can visit you again one last time. Maybe then I can forgive myself for leaving you all alone..."

She sat there, unmoving in the shadows as the members of Harrier One moved about the camp preparing for the night's rest... A single tear of regret dropping from her face like a fallen star.

-----------------------------------------------

"Ahhgg!"

Lloyd tumbled across the grass, thrown back by the force of blow he'd blocked. Getting to his feet, he readied himself before charging at his attacker. Kratos blocked the blow with ease as he ducked under the strike that came from behind him courtesy of Sheena, giving her an elbow to the gut for her troubles. Collette watched from the sidelines as Kratos trained Lloyd and Sheena. The two of them had spent the last two weeks fighting him every night once they'd stopped to camp. As soon as the training session was over, Lloyd would be put up against Dalli, who as yet had beaten him in every match due to Lloyd being exhausted by the time he had to face him.

She frowned. This seemed so cruel, the way Kratos was literally beating them black and blue every night. Vayla hadn't commented on it, knowing that Kratos would never seriously injure them, but even so both of them limped their way along as the group travelled, forbidden from healing themselves or asking someone else to. Kratos hadn't spoken much in all that time, no matter who tried to strike up a conversation with him or what the topic. Again Vayla hadn't commented, and so Genis, Raine, and herself had all been left with no real idea of what kind of man he was. All they had seen of him was this sombre visage he had presented them with, the only exception to that being his display of anger at the Ranch and the emotional reunion between him, his wife, and Lloyd. He seemed to have thoughts the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he would speak of them to no one, at least not out loud.

That was another thing. The four alurannai in the group would spend long spans talking to each other in mind speech. They usually did it during the day while the group was travelling over the rolling plains of Asgard, a time when the group usually remained quiet anyway. But with her heightened hearing Collette could pick up the tiny movements, minute intakes of breath and sighs that punctuated those unheard conversations. She got the feeling that something was going on, she just didn't know what.

"Alright, Lloyd, Sheena, that's enough." She looked up as Kratos sent Sheena off to one side, calling Dalli forth to face his son. "Go ahead, Dallinius."

Kratos turned as walked over to the alurannai girl as the little wolf proceeded to attack his son. Today though, was different... It seemed Lloyd had been practicing something when he went out for his 'walks' early each morning before the group set off.

Dallinius sent out a spell, but a split second before it hit him, Lloyd vanished in a flash of light and reappeared _behind_ the spirit.

"HOLY LANCE!"

There was a yelp as the spell he cast hit home, Dallinius spinning round to strike back with a spell of his own.

"So you've mastered a new trick. Ok then, let's up the pace a bit... CYCLONE!"

It wasn't a full powered level three spell, but it still hit Lloyd hard. When the spell released him and he hit the ground, he struggled to his feet again and attacked. The fight continued, each knocking the other over time and again, and each time both of them would get up. It would seem things were at a stalemate. Lloyd stood there panting, covered with weeks' worth of bruising, cuts, and scratches, some of which had been reopened by the fight to ooze blood that soaked into the rough grey tunic he'd been made to wear for these sessions each night. Dallinius looked little better, fur smeared with dirt and roughed up to a fair thee well by the battle. He too panted, his power in his diminished form wearing thin. He may have been stronger in potential now than he had since the war, but his lesser form couldn't support the use of it and as yet he still lacked enough to regain his true state.

He tensed, and charged at Lloyd one last time. Lloyd didn't dodge, instead grabbing him the moment he struck and pinning him down using his weight. Dalli struggled, but he was too tired to break free.

Lloyd gasped with exhaustion, limbs trembling from the effort of keeping going.

"Is that... good enough... for you?"

The little spirit lowered his head to the ground in defeat.

"Yes... Make your vow, Lloyd."

Lloyd let him go, resting himself on his knees as he whispered so quietly that neither his father nor his crèche mate could make it out over the sound of wind through grass.

"I Vow for the sake of all, to do what I must to restore the mana for the sake of the World."

Dalli blinked, surprised as he murmured back just as quiet.

"You didn't have to make a formal one, certainly not one as big as that. Why did you use the one you and Sheena picked for the Greater Summon Spirits."

Lloyd grinned and picked him up.

"Because I wanted to. By tiring me out first and making me fight you alone, Ata made it as difficult for me to make a pact with you as it will be to make a pact with the Spirits at the Seals... Only there I'll have Sheena and two others to help me. He's making sure I'm strong enough to do this. So if he's taking this so serious, then so will I."

Dalli sighed, and then touched his nose to Lloyd's chest, a stone on a string appearing around the boy's neck.

"Vow accepted. Now let's go get some food, I'm starving."

Lloyd began to chuckle, getting up and stumbling over to where Kratos and Sheena waited. The former finally easing up and healing both adolescents before leading them back to the camp... All the while Collette watched them go thinking about what she'd just heard... After all, she'd been a lot closer to where Lloyd and Dalli were sat that his father and Sheena had been.

"Spirits? But I thought Lloyd and Sheena were only going to make a pact with Undine..."

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"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, COLLETTE!"

The blond haired girl grinned as the shout went up the moment she came out of her tent the next morning. Genis was waving a bunch of flowers he must have colleted during the walk the day before, and Lloyd had hold of a plate with a make shift cake on it, the group only having basic supplies left in the vers. It was the thought that counted though. It had truly been a full year since the day this had begun. Still, it hardly seemed like it had been that long. The months of walking had blurred together into a timeless mass, with only the towns and villages they'd passed though, the trials they'd been through, seeming to be truly concrete in their minds. So much had happened, so much had changed. They'd been to a Seal and come back to a city's welcome. Had been to a Seal and come back to a city's destruction. They had found Vayla's lost daughter, crossed paths with Lloyd's father, and now both travelled with them along with their companions, Dalli, Corrine, and Mezo. What had started as a group of six now numbered eleven. Eleven people all striving to save the world by undergoing this journey.

Gifts were handed to her, joyful laughter filling the air as she opened them. In this moment she could forget what her future held, could forget the fate she was born too. All that mattered right now was enjoying this celebration to mark another year of her life. A life whose days the Scriptures decreed were numbered... Seventeen... She was seventeen years old, with no way to know if she'd ever see the next... But then, when it came down to it no one did...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Ah the inevitably shorter filler. I was kinda stuck for ideas beyond the main ones like the reunion, the pact with Dalli, and Collette's b-day. And yup, they've been on the road for a year. With all the twists and turns across the land they've walked about 9 thousand miles lol.**


	32. A Much Needed Rest

**Alaia Skyhawk: Hmmm, kinda stuck for a comment today.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 32: A Much Needed Rest

-

Aisa. It was a church hamlet in the mid-eastern part of the Asgard Plains, two and a half weeks travel north-east of Asgard itself. Like Nanlia in the Iselia Region, it was composed of a House of Salvation surrounded by a cluster of cottages and their adjacent vegetable gardens, which were the homes of the members of the Church that lived here. The group's arrival had caused a flurry of activity in the hamlet, with priests and priestesses crowding around Collette to check that she was alright. Word of her decision to lead a raid on the Ranch had been sent out from Luin by messenger birds to all of Sylvarant, and had caused so much worry back in Iselia that every church within the proverbial spitting distance of the city had received the same frantic letter from Phidra, Aradine, and Frank. The group had been pretty much incommunicado the last five weeks, with their route not really passing near enough to any Sentinels for any of them to consider passing a message to Iselia via one of the jiisumura. The result was inevitable, and upon hearing about the letter waiting for her, Collette had rushed off to read it and write a reply to her worried family.

A couple of priests stayed by the group, as the rest either followed Collette or returned to whatever tasks they had been doing before the group had walked into sight of the hamlet. While Vayla spoke to them, requesting enough basic supplies to get the group to Asgard, Lloyd and Sheena had headed for the House of Salvation to put the various personal bags they carried in their vers outside the rooms the group would be using during their stay, which had been agreed a week previous would be three days. Genis followed them, as the two Protozoans and two Spirits in the group strolled in the general direction of the small block of stables visible on the south edge of the hamlet. It was then that Kratos chose to walk off along one of the low fences that edged the various vegetable gardens and sit himself out of way against one of the fence posts. There he sat, basking in the weak spring sunlight, though to look at him you would never have thought that was what he was doing.

Raine stood there, as Vayla slowly meandered off with one of the priests to sort out the supplies. Waiting a few more moments, she walked up to Kratos and sat down next to him.

"So, are you going to grace me with some conversation, or continue to effectively ignore me like you have for the last five weeks? You can't blame me for wondering. You show up just in time to save us, show that you have a heart inside that chest of yours when reunited with your family, and immediately after your wife goes back to that Nae Shiu place I keep hearing about, you become as talkative as a brick wall... For one who Vayla always spoke of as one knowing and accepting their duty, you seem awfully depressed about your wife returning to hers."

The Inartu remained silent for a moment. When he finally spoke it was in the tone of one resigned to fate. He knew the half-elven woman wasn't going to leave him be until she'd gotten more than a handful of words out of him.

"I have a lot on my mind. I may have completed the duties that kept me from being by my son's side, but that doesn't mean I don't have concerns. When you have to watch over and help lead a race spanning two worlds there tends to be a lot of running back and forth involved. Not to mention reams of reports from the various settlements that must be read and checked over. Anna is the one undertaking that task, but she still summarises them and has them sent on to me at regular intervals so that I know how my people fare."

Raine regarded him. He wasn't speaking the full truth, but then she'd never expected him to. After all what business did _she_ have with the finer details of the Alurannai's daily existence. He was being frank about one thing though. That there were two worlds, and by speaking of them he'd made it clear that Vayla had told him of her and Genis' true origins.

Glancing around furtively, she made sure that none of the clergy were within earshot.

"I have a question, and it's about Tethe'alla. I remember from when I was young that the Church of Martel exists there, and that the world was full of mana... Am I right in suspecting that Tethe'alla and Sylvarant are connected? That when one world gains mana, the other loses it?"

The alurannai man actually turned and looked at her this time, his expression thoughtful.

"Vayla said you were quick. Yes, what you suspect is true. While the Giant Tree was alive both Sylvarant and Tethe'alla flourished, but when it died a tidal system of sorts was set up by Cruxis to keep them alive. Mana flows from one to the other through the Seals, reversing its direction when a Seal is released by a Chosen One. Collette has released two Seals, and from the reports I've received, Tethe'alla's mana levels have already begun to drop since at the start of Ritual the flow becomes stationary. The falling levels are starting to make Tethe'alla's king and the Church begin to worry. Right now, from what I've heard, they're telling the people it's some kind of punishment for the indiscretions of Tethe'alla's previous Chosen, Alden, who sired an illegitimate daughter. Alden's been dead for years, so he can hardly refute the statement. His son Zelos, the current Chosen, has said nothing with regard to the statement, and his half-sister Celes is cloistered where she can't cause trouble for the Church. Rumour has it that she has quite strong opinions on the matter, and isn't afraid to make to make them widely known if she gets the chance. The Church is making sure she never does."

Raine snorted with derision.

"That sounds about right from what I can remember. I lived in Heimdall until I was twelve, so I heard enough of Tethe'alla's doings and methods both from listening to visiting politicians, and from my father who was a scholar 'studying' the elves. The elves gave him quite a hand with his research papers, making sure Tethe'alla never had an excuse to call him back to Sybak. His papers were too interesting for them to want to face the screams of disappointment from the Imperial Research Institute, that would have certainly have risen up if they had called him back from the village."

She fell silent, the sob that nearly surfaced at speaking of her father picked up all too easily by the man beside her.

"...If it helps, I know that my wife, on Vayla's request, has asked the jiisumura to keep an eye out for possible human/elven couples that may be your parents. They've found nothing yet, but then with keeping out of sight the search has been somewhat slow."

Raine stared at him and for once ignored his actual expression, which was as calm and composed as it had been since they'd left the Ranch, instead concentrating on his eyes. It was then she realised that his eyes alone spoke volumes, once you noticed that is. Those dark brown eyes were filled with sympathy, and a hint of remembered pain. He too knew what it was like not to know where family was, to be searching for it. Now, after five weeks, she could see just what kind of man he was. Caring, determined, protective, and utterly loyal to his people. It was just that like many a leader or leader-to-be, he'd long ago learnt to keep his emotions discrete when not among his own. It was to prevent those that might seek to spy on him from discovering things that might be weaknesses of his, to exploit them. That he'd relaxed enough around her to let his emotions show in his eyes, spoke a great deal of the amount of trust he was willing to give her.

"Thank you, for trusting me. I guess I should start trusting you a little more. I've not exactly been helpful to you since you joined the group."

Kratos sighed, leaning his head against the fencepost once more.

"There's no need for apologies. I haven't exactly been approachable myself. As for trusting you, why shouldn't I? You taught and helped watch over my son for the past eleven years. The Alurannai are protective of our children in the extreme, and therefore to be trusted to help look after one of our children, a prince of ours at that, you've been given a level of trust far surpassing what you think you've received. There may be certain things I do not speak of to you, but that does not mean I do not trust you. Merely that there is no need for you to know, or that you are as yet not ready to."

Raine fell silent, stunned by his words, and humbled by them. Saying nothing more, she inched along the fence until she could lean against the next post down from Kratos. Sitting there in the spring sunshine until her brother came for her a short while later.

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"Is it just me or has your dad eased up all of a sudden? He's acted so stiff since we left the Ranch, but now he's actually smiling."

Genis was glancing at Kratos out of the corner of his eye, as he and Lloyd flipped through his mage's notebook in preparation for the practice session they were planning to have tomorrow morning. Lloyd's father was across the common room on the House of Salvation's second floor, sat at a table opposite Collette of all people, and he was teaching her some game that involved not one but three decks of cards.

Lloyd glanced over as well, just as Collette put down a string of seven out of the ten cards in her hand... Resulting in a rather disconcerted frown from Kratos. It looked like she might have been picking up how to play the game rather more quickly than he'd expected.

"Yeah, he's been really tense. Worrying about Sylvarant's future, and about me. After pushing me so hard, and making it so tough for me to get a join pact with Dalli, he's reassured himself that I'm tough enough to protect myself in the times when he can't be there, or is too far away to help. He's gone through a lot, Genis. First the Kharlan War, then the death of the Giant Tree, and now all this stuff with the Desians. Things have become a lot harder for the Alurannai over the past few years. As soon as the Desian's discovered we still existed, they started looking for us. They'll have a hard time finding any of our settlements now though. I heard from Vayla that after Andorei Wrau was destroyed, all the settlements had their illusions extended to cover the Sentinels used as their gateways. That's how they think Andorei Wrau was spotted. The Sentinel was outside of the illusions, so the Desians would have been able to see the alurannai and Protozoans coming and going through it."

Genis looked at him.

"Sounds kinda careless to me..."

Lloyd sighed.

"It was. But after almost four thousand years of never being spotted, and with our settlements being so small and scattered, the chances of the Desian's even spotting the _Sentinel _were tiny, never mind spotting the alurannai and Protozoans using it. It wasn't like there were a huge number of uses. Maybe five or six messengers a day, with the occasional group going through. And by day I mean the night as well, that's five or six in twenty-four hours."

The silver haired mage mulled this over.

"So in some ways it was just bad luck. One small bit of carelessness getting spotted by sheer chance. They could have just as easily _not_ seen them and walked away without ever knowing."

Lloyd flipped another page in the notebook.

"That about sums it up. Look on the bright side though. If it had never happened, we probably would never have met."

Genis returned Lloyd's grin. It was a fact neither of them would want to change the last fourteen years. They were best friends and they never wanted that to end. In that respect they were truly like Kratos and Yuan. An alurannai and a half-elf who had met by chance and been best friends ever since. Lloyd had been eight years old when a fourteen year old Raine and a two year old Genis had been handed over to Phidra's care at Iselia's South Gate. For all that his amnesia and instincts had made him act dumb, he had still looked at the bewildered little boy who none of the other village children would befriend because he was an 'elf', and decided then and there to help look after him.

"Yeah, I just wish I'd been old enough at the time to remember it."

Lloyd's grin widened.

"Well I remember it perfectly. Here, let me tell you how it happened..."

'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

The little boy sat there, placed on a cushion in the Church Garden. One of the priestesses was weeding the flowerbeds, and had offered to keep an eye on him while his sister was interviewed to see how much she knew, with regard to her perhaps becoming the new teacher at the village school despite how young she was. He hunched there, completely unnerved by his surroundings. All he'd known all his life thus far was the open road. Seeing few other people besides his sister, Milleisi, Ianir, and their friends whom they'd travelled with. Now he was sat in a big village, a village that was actually big enough to be called a town had the people wanted it. It was completely outside his experience, and he had no idea what to make of it other than that it scared him.

Unseen by the priestess and the little boy, a brown haired head poked over the top of the garden fence, brown eyes curiously watching the silver haired child as he cowered on his cushion in the middle of a patch of grass. The head dropped below the top of the fence again, and there was a faint rustle as a lithe little body slipped between the metal railings that surrounded the garden. The rustle got closer to the boy on the cushion, until the brown haired head appeared again, this time poking out of a bush. He regarded the child on the cushion speculatively, trying to figure out why he looked so scared. He'd watched as the girl with silver hair had tried to introduce the child to group of younger village children that were kept together during the day in a nursery group of sorts, so that parents could take turns looking after them. The youngsters had avoided him, none of them wanting to play with the little boy who had 'old people hair' as they called it.

Again the head disappeared, and the rustle moved lower until the head poked out of the bottom of the bush as the boy crawled towards the child on the cushion. As soon as he felt he was close enough, he lay down flat on his front and set his chin on folded arms.

"Hello."

Frightened blue eyes turned on him, regarding him warily.

"Who you?"

The boy grinned as he lay there, an infectious smile that left the child on the cushion regarding him as curiosity replaced fear.

"I'm Lloyd! You wanna play?"

The child blinked.

"Play?"

The grin widened.

"Yeah! What's your name?"

The child blinked those wide blue eyes again before answering shyly.

"...Genis..."

Lloyd let out a happy laugh.

"Hi, Genis! So you wanna come play with me an Colly?"

"...Colly?"

Again the laugh and the grin.

"Yeah. She's my friend. Do you want to be my friend too?"

Genis looked confused. He'd never heard the word 'friend' before.

"What a friend?"

Lloyd frowned. Genis didn't know what a friend was?

"Friends always play games together when it play time and have fun! They don't say to each other go away."

Genis looked stunned. This brown haired boy was saying he'd play, and not say go away like the other kids? A smile spread across that little face, making blue eyes dance with happiness.

"Me be friend, Lloyd!"

Lloyd got up, walking over to Genis and pulling him to his feet... The nearby priestess having her head so deep among the flowers searching out errant weeds that she hadn't noticed the conversation going on behind her. He then led Genis out through a gap where a missing railing was hidden by the bushes... After all, the garden gates had been locked to stop Genis wandering off. The pair headed off down the street, the silver haired two year old clinging to the hand of the brown haired eight year old. When he stumbled as he tried to keep up, Lloyd picked him up and gave him a piggyback. Soon Lloyd was racing towards a certain house on the other side of the village as Genis squealed with delight at the ride. Reaching the house, Lloyd entered through the garden gate and walked around the side of the building to the little flower garden around the back. Sure enough, the six year old blond haired girl he was looking for was in her usual spot for this time of morning.

"Hi, Colly! This is our new friend, Genis!"

He put Genis down, only for the silver haired child to retreat behind his legs at the blond haired girl peered at him. Moments later though he was giggling along with Lloyd, as the girl took a step towards them and promptly tripped over her own foot.

She pushed herself to her knees, giggling as well as she brushed bits of grass off her blue trimmed white sundress.

"He he, whoops... Hi, Genis, I'm Collette! Lloyd calls me Colly!"

Her sunny smile entranced Genis, who began to grin in return.

"Hi!"

Within moments after that the three were laughing and giggling as they began playing hide and seek in the flower garden behind the home of the Mana Lineage. They continued for almost two hours until panicked shouts reached their ears... It seemed the priestess had finally noticed that Genis wasn't in the Church Garden anymore. The three of them came around to the front of the house, walking up to the garden fence to lean out through the open gate and look down the street in the direction of the village school.

Collette turned blue eyes on Lloyd.

"Uh oh..."

Genis looked up at her. Even though she was only six, she still towered over him.

"Uh oh?"

Again the older children looked at each other, and in silent agreement Lloyd picked Genis up and carried him piggyback towards the school at a steady walk, Collette tagging along beside them. When they reached the school, they found Genis' sister in a right state, Phidra keeping hold of her to stop her running off to look for her brother. The priests and priestesses she'd already sent out knew the village, unlike the girl, and so would be able to search much faster and probably with better luck.

Hunching his shoulders a little, Lloyd put Genis down and placed the boy's hand in Collette's. He then, still hunched, walked over to Phidra and the panicked girl beside her.

"Um... High Priestess Phidra... Genis is there..."

Lloyd pointed towards Collette and the boy holding her hand, the girl beside Phidra seeing her brother and finally pulling free of the priestess to race to his side. Collette let go of him when she reached them, and Genis didn't resist as his sister picked him up.

"Genis! Where did you go?! How did you get out of the garden?! The gates were locked!"

As Lloyd stood there, still hunched as though he were expecting a clip around the ear, it didn't take much for Phidra to figure out what had happened.

"When it comes to that garden, there's one boy who can get in or out no matter if the gates are locked or not... Lloyd, what do you have to say for yourself? You've frightened poor Raine half to death with taking her brother out of the garden to go see Collette."

Raine spun around, her relief at finding her brother safe and sound turning to fury that this youth had taken him from the garden without telling anyone.

"You did what?! Why you...!"

"He was scared... and lonely... All I did was ask him if he wanted to come play with me and Colly..."

Raine froze in her tracks, Genis wriggling in her arms.

"Lloyd and Colly, friends! They play with me, not tell me go away like bad people who say they no play with me cos me have old people hair!"

As Genis struggled to get free of his sister's grip, she stood there staring at Lloyd who peered back at her, still hunched.

He looked at the ground.

"...Sorry..."

It was then that Phidra rang the school bell three times, a signal that the missing child had been found and that all the priests and priestesses who were searching could return to their normal duties. The shouts in the distance stopped, and soon the only noise was the general background murmur of the people moving about their daily business, and of the struggling little boy in his sister's arms.

Collette walked up to stand beside Lloyd. She may not have played a part in taking Genis from the garden, but she'd still said nothing about him to anyone for two hours despite knowing deep down that no one would know where he was. She too looked at the ground.

"I'm sorry too. I've been a bad Chosen. I should know better than to not tell that Lloyd bring Genis to my garden..." Her lip trembled. "He just wanted to play..."

Raine looked between her wriggling two year old brother and the two children, six and eight, who had without hesitation befriended him when the children his own age had refused to have anything to do with him. Hesitating a moment more, she crouched down, setting her brother's feet on the floor and making him face her.

"Genis, you can go play with Lloyd and Collette. But you must _always_ tell me first, ok? What do you do when Lloyd or Collette comes to take you to go play?"

Genis sniffled.

"Tell Big Sis me go play?"

Raine smiled, ruffling his hair.

"That's right. Now you can go play, but Lloyd and Collette must bring you back to me before it's time for dinner, ok?"

Genis broke into a wide grin, and Lloyd and Collette looked at her and then each other in surprise. Raine let go of her brother, who then charged up to Lloyd and promptly began asking for another piggyback ride. As laughter began to ring out, Lloyd did just that and raced off with an extremely happy little boy clinging to his back, Collette running after them... but not before tripping over her own feet twice in the process...

'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'

Genis goggled at him.

"Wha? Raine let me go and play with you after that? And she didn't slap you or throw something at you?"

The silver haired mage turned his head to look over at Raine, who was sat by a window reading a book.

Lloyd rubbed his head with remembered pain, grimacing.

"Oh don't be too surprised... She only let us off that once... When you ran out of the house you two were given three days later because you'd seen me go past outside, and told me you'd told her... It turned out you'd said it as she'd had her head in a wash basin cleaning her hair so she couldn't hear you for the suds in her ears... And because I never checked that she'd heard you... When she came out of the house ten minutes later to find us sitting near the village pond not far from the house... She grabbled the nearest thing to hand, which was a broom, and clouted me over the head with it..."

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The priests watched with awe as spell after spell thundered down on the unfortunate rock that had been picked for target practice a short distance from the hamlet. Lloyd and Genis were taking turns to pound it, since Lloyd had over the course of the past six months caught up to Genis spell casting-wise and could now use the full range of level two spells. He did have one advantage over Genis though, and that was that he could use dark and light spells with ease while Genis had a hard time with light, and as yet had never managed to cast dark at all. Genis however, was about to even the odds a little...

One second the half-elf was trying to cast a light spell when just as he was pulling the mana in a shadow from a passing cloud covered where he was stood. As a result, completely by accident, he cast the exact opposite of what he was trying for.

Jet black spears pierced the rock from four corners, with a fifth coming down to slam into it from above. A few pieces of the rather abused rock fell off, as Genis blinked in surprise.

"...What was that? I was trying to cast Holy Lance..."

Lloyd chuckled.

"Shadow Lance, it's the darkness form of Holy Lance. It's a darkness spell only cast-able by those with a good heart. There's a tainted version called Bloody Lance that can only be cast by those with dark heart. It's one of the only spells of it's like in the Darkness Branch of magic, and since you cast the good version, that kinda proves beyond doubt that you're not the kind of guy to join the Desians and go around hurting people for fun."

It was subtlety done, but Lloyd had pitched his voice just enough for his words to reach the nearby observers, resulting in quite a few quiet conversations starting up... Lloyd had just given the Church another tick in the 'half-elves _can_ be trusted' column. The way gossip was going back and forth by messenger birds, it probably wouldn't be that long before this new titbit of info in the favour of accepting half-elves would spread.

Realising what Lloyd had done, Genis turned his face away from the priests so they wouldn't see him grin as he murmured.

"Nice one, Lloyd... Now, let's see if I can cast it on purpose this time..."

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**GET BACK HERE!**

A small white wolf and an equally small fox sprinted away from a certain Arshis that they'd just soaked with a spell. Dripping wet, Noishe ploughed after them, picking up more and more speed as in his irritation at the prank he pushed himself right up to his top speed of just over ninety miles an hour. There was no way Dalli or Corrine could out run that unless they cheated and teleported away, which from the fact that they'd chosen to leg it on foot in the first place telling him they had no intention of doing that. The pair of them laughing at him, they suddenly split up to either side of a rock that emerged from a veil of fading illusions.

There was a huge thud a split second later, as two hundred pounds of protozoan travelling at ninety miles an hour impacted with the rock so hard that it was lifted off the ground to roll among the long grass along with an extremely dazed Arshis. When he stopped rolling, Noishe got up, staggering sideways and cross eyed from the impact. Arshis may be protected from the effects of their extreme speed by their own innate magic, but that didn't mean that running smack into a solid object would leave them completely unscathed. The protection depended on how fast they were going at the time of impact, which meant that Noishe was a stunned as he would have been hitting the rock head on at about twenty miles an hour... Hitting it at ninety though was a great deal more amusing to see for the two spirits rolling with laughter in the grass nearby.

One of the spirits, still laughing, pointed a paw at him.

"Hey, Corrine, any bets on how long he'll walk sideways?"

The little fox grinned back at Dalli, as Noishe continued to zigzag back and forth.

"I dunno. Let's watch and find out!"

The two of them turned their attention back to Noishe, who was mumbling away incoherently.

**Why are there two villages? ...Did they build more? ...Ooo... That's nice... Hey... Pretty flowers! ...Oooof!**

Noishe had turned his head to look at said flowers, and promptly fell over as the two nearby spirits once again erupted into laughter.

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"Three pairs, last card, and out..."

Collette beamed at the alurannai man sat opposite her... Who was staring at the three piles of cards between them in bafflement at how she had beaten him at Tridec for the sixth time in a row since they'd resumed playing again just an hour ago. He'd only shown her the game last night, and now she was beating him at a game he'd learnt how to play when he was her age. He mulled over it for a moment, still puzzled as she gathered up the cards, shuffled them, and split them into three equal decks again. As he reached out and picked up the first deck, dealing them five cards each from its top, repeating that with the other two decks so that they both held fifteen cards, Kratos puzzled over how she could be coming out with such large combos... Or was it simply luck and she was getting exceptionally good hands... Still... Sheer luck six times in a row? Not likely.

Kratos picked up the six sided die on the table, which had three symbols repeated on it twice each, tossing it three times to pick which deck each of the three starting cards would come from. He was the dealer, which meant that Collette got to go first.

She looked at her hand, and then contemplated the three cards face up on the table. It was then, with a bright smile, that three of her cards were put down on the left-most card, two on the middle, and two more on the last... She'd wiped out almost half of her starting hand on her first move!

Unnerved by her continuing unusual luck, Kratos put one card down on the first two piles, and two on the last. Three cards less than she'd gotten rid of.

Still smiling, Collette picked up the die and threw it twice, drawing a card from each of the two decks whose symbols had come up on a throw... And then she put down six more cards... Kratos silently cursing as the cards remaining in her hand were reduced to just four...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: For those that are interested, Tridec is a game I made up myself 11 years or so ago. You need three decks of cards, and an ordinary dice. If you're interested in knowing how it's played, I'll send the details in a review reply or a PM. All you have to do is ask. After not having the chance to play it against anyone for years, I'm actually spending a little time now and then trying to make it into an online playable game using MSN or something similar to link over distance with one computer as a central host. It's all in the early planning stages though. All I have done is some basic research and my card faces and backs (Which I've posted as a montage on my fanartcentral account. The Link is in my profile).**


	33. He's WHAT?

**Alaia Skyhawk: Heh heh, fun time...**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 33: He's WHAT?

-

"Sequence of six, match four, red to black king sequence of seven, to last card and out."

Collette gawked at the three piles of cards on the table, upon which Kratos had just unloaded all of the seventeen cards remaining in his hand in one move. After realising Collette's natural flair for the simple math principles Tridec revolved around, he'd upped the difficulty and introduced her to the full out variation that Alurannai preferred to play. Back at Aisa she'd only been going against him in the mid difficulty version. That mid version was what the Alurannai referred to as 'Fifteen Draw Two', meaning a starting hand of fifteen and a mandatory draw of two cards per turn, with an additional card to be drawn if the player couldn't put a card down. The version they were playing now... was 'Eighteen Draw Three', meaning they each started with eighteen cards and that just to keep their hand the same size over their turn they _had_ to put down at least three cards, four if they wanted their hand to get smaller. Collette was managing, just about, but right now she was holding no less than twenty-eight cards. At this level, Kratos' ability to anticipate how the top cards of each play pile were likely to change was far greater than hers. As a result it was only on rare occasions that he couldn't put at least one or two cards down, whereas Collette was quite often left unable to play any, meaning she had to draw a total of four cards on that turn instead of only three. This did mean that when she _could_ play a card, it was always a number of matched cards or a sequence, since she had so many cards in her hand to pick from, but that wasn't going to help her win. To win at Tridec, a person who could consistently put down one or two cards a turn, with the occasional large match or sequence, had a considerable advantage over one who put theirs out in scattered bursts of matches and sequences.

Kratos gathered up the cards and began to shuffle them.

"Would you like to play another round? Or perhaps I could teach you a different game. I have several in my ver to choose from. A legacy of regular travel on foot with a need to have something to while away the hours spent in camp."

The blond haired girl sighed, resting her hands on the small table that Vayla had produced from her ver at Kratos request, while setting up this 'common room' tent when they made camp ready for the night. Seeing random furniture being produced from the storage devices had been startling back when this journey had begun, but she, Raine, and Genis were all used to odd items cropping up from them from time-to-time these days.

"No, it's ok. Thank you for teaching me how to play it. I just think I need more practice to be able to play the hard version though."

Kratos bundled the cards together, putting them in a wooden box with the die before placing the entire thing in his ver.

"Alurannai children are taught to play that game at speed, to improve their ability to recognise and process things quickly, and by speed I mean they go through their entire turn... draw, pick, and place... in about five to seven seconds. At that speed, even Nine Draw One would be difficult. Eighteen Draw Three at that speed can take decades to master. As it was I first started playing Tridec when I was _your_ age. I've known the game for a _long_ time."

"And speaking of age... Here." Kratos suddenly had a small package stuffed under his nose by Vayla, who had just entered the tent to hear the end of the conversation. She smiled. "I know you don't like people to make a big deal out of your birthday, so I told Lloyd and Sheena not to scream 'happy birthday' at you at the top of their lungs this morning. The gift is from all of us. Happy Next Danne, Kratos. Another century under your belt, eh."

Collette blinked.

"It's... It's your birthday today?"

Kratos glanced at her, as he continued to unwrap the box his crèche mate had handed him.

"...Yes... I'm fifty-four danne today..."

"...Did you just say fifty-four _danne?!_" All three of them turned, to see Raine stood at the entrance into the tent with a stunned expression on her face. "But a danne is a century... _You're five thousand four hundred years old?!_ That means you were born before the _Kharlan War_. You saw the war... from start to end... The rise of the Church of Martel... The first Regeneration... You were alive to see it all!" Her eyes were taking on an all too familiar and frightening gleam. That look of excitement making Vayla back up a step as the woman then looked at her as well. "That means that _you're_ five thousand three hundred and ninety-nine!"

A split second later, before she could utter another word, both Kratos and Vayla disappeared in a flash as they light jumped out of the tent to avoid the barrage of questions that were certain to emerge from history manic half-elf's mouth.

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Two alurannai adults peered up over the edge of one of the low rolling hills of the plains, observing the camp as a disappointed half-elf came out of the 'common room'. Pulling back out of sight again, Kratos looked sidelong at his crèche mate.

"Why didn't you warn me she was like that? I wouldn't have been so frank about how old I am within possible earshot of her if I'd known."

Sighing, Vayla pulled back as well.

"She hasn't gone into 'Ruin Mode', as the children call it, since we were at the Seal of Light, and with the seriousness of things that have happened since we left the Seal... To be frank it never crossed my mind. Mulling over 'what ifs' isn't going to do us any good. We're going to have to think of a way to keep away from her until she gets this out of her system, or at least give her something else to make notes about in that notebook of hers... I swear, seeing that thing come out of her pocket is like an ill omen. Every time the group sees it, every single one of us starts to back away... She's so enthusiastic about studying things... it's scary."

Thinking about the look in Raine's eyes, like a little kid confronted with the worlds largest sugar lump, he shuddered.

"I concur..."

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Lloyd and Sheena packed away the tents, the table, and all of the bags into their vers, neither of them commenting that the group assembled to begin the day's walk only numbered nine. Kratos and Vayla were nowhere to be seen, and it didn't take a genius to figure out why they'd stayed out of sight since yesterday's little slip up of how old the two of them were.

Raine paced back and forth, her hand occasionally slipping under her orange over robe to the pocket that contained 'it'... Her dreaded notebook. She'd wandered around the camp with it in hand all of the previous evening. Now just an hour after dawn, the pale morning light as it gradually brightened seemed to make her pace more and more.

"Where are they? Vayla is supposed to be our guide! The Alurannai's representative to protect the Chosen on this journey! We can't leave camp if she's not here, and that Inartu should know better than to let her slack off like this!"

Lloyd winced, before taking a deep breath and pointing at the sky above them.

"Umm, Raine, they _are_ here... Just not on the ground... They said that until you calm down and become more reasonable, for the sake of expediently carrying out the stated offer to protect and watch over Collette... They're gonna scout and keep an eye on things from the air, relaying what they see through Sheena and I."

Startled, Raine looked up to see that, just as Lloyd had said, there were two specs gliding on the winds high above... _Very_ high above...

She scowled.

"Why in the name of Martel are they avoiding me?! I only wanted to ask a few questions about some historical events."

As the four youngest members of the group cringed, Raine stormed off in the direction of Asgard, which was now just a week and a half's travel away.

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Raine looked as though she were on the point of having a temper tantrum. After two days of 'aerial scouting', Kratos and Vayla had deemed her to have calmed down enough for them to risk walking on foot again. The thing was, now that they were on the ground, they were still effectively avoiding her. If she went up to them to ask a perfectly valid question regarding the journey, or other general everyday topic, they would listen and answer... The moment a history orientated comment or question emerged from her mouth, they'd light jump several feet away from her and keep on walking. Originally Vayla had harboured some concerns about taking Raine into Asgard, which was an archaeologist's paradise... Now she couldn't wait. Anything to divert Raine from her pursuit of badgering knowledge out of Kratos and herself would be a blessing.

Having light jumped out of Raine's reach for the fourth time that morning, Kratos glanced at Vayla with a look in his eyes more befitting to some poor animal stalked by a relentless hunter than the Crown Prince of Aluran.

**...It's like Yuan all over again... Only with him it was just flying, and with Raine it's a ravening hunger to know all the little details we might know about how the war started, ended, the start of the Regeneration System, old cultures, language... **_**everything from the last five thousand years!**_

Vayla sighed, a similar 'hunted' look in her own eyes.

**I have one suggestion... Since we still have a week's travel to get to Asgard, how about we give her an 'allowance'... Tell her she can ask us about a set number of history topics, like single certain events, and we'll answer so long as her questions stay within reason. **_**That**_** at least will give her something to hopefully keep her satisfied, and buy us some respite.**

The two of them glanced at Raine, who was clearly becoming extremely frustrated by their being evasive. After a moment, Kratos nodded.

**I say limit it to five... There's no telling how many 'reasonable' questions she could come up with for a single topic.**

Vayla gave him a long suffering smile in agreement, before walking over to Raine and tapping the woman on the shoulder.

"Raine, Kratos and I have decided that you can pick five historical events or people to ask us about... Within reason. And before you pick them I want to bear in mind that there will be certain time periods that we as alurannai would rather not talk about. I know you're curious, but have a little consideration for our feelings. Once you've picked a topic, feel free to approach one of us."

She walked away from the half-elf, who looked extremely excited that, for five topics at least, Kratos and Vayla wouldn't avoid her. There was however a hint of remorse in her eyes, as she thought over part of what Vayla had said. Realising that in her enthusiasm she _hadn't_ been considering how they would feel about being badgered. As they walked along, she eventually approached Kratos, clearly having decided on at least one topic.

"Kratos, I apologise for my behaviour... It's just..."

In a habitual gesture of resignation, Kratos ran a hand through his hair.

"You are greatly interested in knowing about the past, and preserving that knowledge for future generations by teaching it to others. Hence one of the obvious reasons you accepted the job of becoming the teacher at Iselia's school... If it's any consolation, a half-elven acquaintance of mine went through a phase of similar enthusiasm, except that his was purely focused on flying... He drove Vayla and I to distraction for five weeks until he discovered love at first sight upon meeting the woman who he went on to marry ten years later... I'm guessing you've picked your first topic. So, are you going to start asking about it?"

Raine pulled out her notebook and a small stick of charcoal to write with since it was impossible to write with ink while walking.

"My first topic is a person. One who is incredibly important in the more recent history of the world... Mithos the Hero." Kratos only just managed not to flinch. He should have realised that if limited to five topics, Mithos would likely be one of them. After all she had no way of knowing that he was one of the 'touchy' subjects. Raine continued, unaware of his inner turmoil. "So little is known about him, other than that he was instrumental in ending the war and died five years later. He's mentioned as being present at dozens of major events over the full course of the war from right near it's beginning, but apart from that he's a complete mystery to historians. Since the Alurannai record the world's history to keep a record available for people of other races to access, I was wondering if you could tell me more about him than can be found in the few remaining human made records from those times."

Vayla had heard what Raine had asked, and Kratos could hear her mental cursing. Accepting there was no way he could avoid it, he set about telling Raine a severely edited and de-personalised account of 'Mithos'. The person he'd known before grief had turned him into a madman bent on revenge.

"Mithos was a half-elf. Born in Heimdall, ostracized along with his thirteen year old sister when he was just a few months old, he spent his entire life as a traveller alongside his eight companions, one of which was her. This happened four years after the first stirrings of war brought unease to the lands, causing the Elves and Dwarves to retreat into isolation to avoid becoming involved. At that time I myself was living blissfully unaware of the events going on outside of Aluran. I was at a very important point in my training, right in the final area of study before I would have learned everything a member of the Nartana must know before they take up any kind of formal duties, and so they kept me in the dark so as not to distract me from that. It was when Mithos was two that he and his sister crossed paths with a quartet of people who would form the first cornerstone of what would later become known as the Nine Companions. It occurred in Sinoa, that's the old name of Luin. Most importantly though, for what would occur later, is that two of those people were what the Alurannai refer to as Crystal Users. They were 'angels', two humans who had travelled to Crystal Point to see if they were deemed trustworthy enough to receive one. And who had been given one after their reasons were deemed just and true."

Raine, who had been noting all this down, looked up, stunned.

"Angels?! There were angels _before_ Cruxis arose?"

Kratos nodded.

"Yes. It was only after the end of the war, when Martel went into slumber, that some Crystal Users went into her service. Though, as Vayla told me she's informed Collette some months back, only a small number of existing Crystal Users joined the Order. There were some three thousand or so who didn't and have continued their lives hidden among the people. The history of Crystal Users is a separate topic, so I'll leave it there and get back to the subject of Mithos. If you want to know more about them, ask me later as another of your five chosen subjects." Raine nodded, looking a little disappointed, but she said nothing as Kratos continued. "When Mithos was seven, the group of six became eight, when a former King's Knight and his Vale Wolf companion joined the group, and a few months later the last of the nine, a lesser summon spirit with whom Mithos made a pact, also joined. Little happened for the Nine Companions over the following four and a half years, until they witnessed the first major attack of the war. The total destruction of the Port City of Ralta. That event was the beginning of them knowing for sure that it could be centuries before the war might be brought to a halt, and with two of their number having life spans of less than a hundred years, and three of the remaining being half-elves with up to about a thousand years, they realised that depending on how bad things got they could die of old age before succeeding in ending the war, and they were the only group travelling about truly trying to do so. It was then that the two Crystal Users in the group offered to lead the rest of them to Crystal Point to ask for Cruxis Crystals to aid them in ending the war. Mithos was twelve when they received them."

Raine was mesmerised. Here were things that no human made record in existence contained. Details about Mithos were rare, but details about those he's travelled with and the circumstances that brought them together were rarer still or weren't recorded at all.

"So the Nine Companions were all 'Crystal Users'? That's what let them act throughout the whole war? But wait, if Mithos was twelve then that means..."

There was no emotion showing on Kratos' face or in his eyes, but Raine didn't know him well enough to know what that meant. That Kratos had damped out his emotions to permit himself to actually speak without giving away how painful a topic this was.

"Yes, he never aged a day after that. Remaining physically at the age of twelve for the rest of his life. He was warned about it, but accepted it as a necessary personal sacrifice for the sake of the innocent. As for the Companions, only seven of them were Crystal Users. The group was composed of three half-elves, three humans, a vale wolf, an arshis form Protozoan who was Bonded to one of the humans, and a lesser summon spirit. Neither the spirit nor the Protozoan wore Crystals, for both were immortal anyway. After that day events were pretty much the same for Mithos, with him and his companions travelling the world breaking up the larger skirmishes between the two sides. It wasn't until right at the end that things took a turn for the worst. Tethe'alla created a weapon called Thor's Hammer, a massive mana cannon. It used so much mana when it fired that it depleted the entire area of the mountain it was stood on. For that much mana to effectively vanish, the Giant Tree tried to compensate but hurt itself in the process. It was then, with the threat direct to the Tree, that the Alurannai stepped in. My people, in their rage, destroyed the cannon, but the damage was done. And with the war continuing to consume so much mana, it _had_ to be stopped if there was to be any chance of the Tree surviving its injuries. At my people's suggestion, Mithos sought out a pact with Origin, who upon the making of the pact granted Mithos the power he needed to isolate the two warring peoples from each other. That ended the actual fighting, and a few days later Mithos forced the Nations to sign a peace treaty... The treaty of which a copy exists at the Palmacosta University. None of my family were present at the signing of the treaty, since we were too busy tending to the Giant Tree. One of my crèche mates was our representative for that. I believe you've met her already."

Raine looked puzzled.

"I have?"

The Aluran Crown Prince allowed himself a small smile.

"Tasha... If you look on the witness line for the Nartana on the treaty, you'll see it's clearly sighed 'Tasha Rythir'. Sharta Tarryn, that's Chief Advisor to the Narim, sighed as witness on behalf of the Alurannai and Protozoans... And lastly Mithos signed as witness on behalf of the Greater Summon Spirits, without whose power he would never have been able to bring peace. It was barely a week after that that the Giant Tree..."

Kratos cut himself off, his expression pained as the memory of that moment when his Soul Link had been severed rose up to haunt him.

Raine, recognising the death of the Tree as being one of the 'painful subject', beat a sympathetic retreat.

"Thank you for telling me a bit about him. I'll leave you alone."

Kratos continued to walk in silence as Raine slipped her notebook back into her pocket. She may have been an extremely determined researcher, but she knew when it was best to stop asking questions. As painful as it had been to speak about Mithos, even in that impersonal way, this day's conversation did do one thing. For the rest of the trip to Asgard, Raine never came forward to ask about any of the four remaining topics she could pick. She was far too caring to risk reopening another 'wound' so soon after that which Kratos had been reminded of today...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: I wanted to put in the obvious 'Raine flips out over how old Kratos and Vayla are' in this chapter, but I also wanted to show that even when she'd like that, Raine is still aware of the feelings of those around her. I wanted to make her more 'human', and less bipolar as the 'Ruin Mode' thing tends to make her look. Those of you who have read Prequel will be able to spot where Kratos edited his account, and I finally got to put my little 'connection' idea in. I had the group meet Tasha in Triet so I could have Kratos point out to Raine that she'd met one of the people who had signed as witnesses for the treaty. Just another of my little titbits of detail.**


	34. City of Wind and Ruins

**Alaia Skyhawk: Heh heh, fun time...**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 34: City of Wind and Ruins

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The road was wide, and yet it seemed narrow. Held tight between soaring cliff and deep gorge, and the river deep within which could be seen far far below in its depths, the road was well tended and its surface smooth. There was no doubting that wherever this road led, it was to somewhere important... and it did. The group rounded the bend, a great panorama opening up before them in the mid morning sun. Like some great blanket, level upon level of buildings clung to the sides of steep slopes and ridges for as far along the gorge as they could see before disappearing behind the profile of the cliff that formed the other side of the Asgan River Gorge. This was Asgard, the City of Wind and Ruins, and once capital city of the former Kingdom of Balacruft.

As those in the group who had never seen it before gazed upon that sight in awe, Vayla nudged Kratos, smiling.

"It hasn't changed much, has it? We had some good times here back in the old days here. Sure we were chased out after most visits for being 'dissenters against the deserved glory of the crown', but they were still fun. Balacruft's kings were always such stiffs. Even the name they gave to people who opposed the war was pompous." Hearing Raine turn to face her, Vayla glanced at her and answered the unspoken question. "Kratos and I travelled around a lot during the war, though we never went about openly as alurannai. We took advantage of the similarities between alurannai and Crystal Users, and posed as them so we could still use our wings and such without people finding out what we really were. It was always funny to have the Palace Guard here chasing us personally on the king's orders, only for them not to be able to follow us as we either flew up the side of the cliff or flew off down into the gorge. We spent a whole week once making them look like idiots, much to the amusement of the population who were all too sick of the endless war and their own king's arrogance."

Kratos folded his arms, faint amusement becoming sombre reflection.

"The palace collapsed a long time ago, after the Desians wiped out the Royal family for defying them. The building itself was untouched, but after the massacre no one would go near it. With no one to maintain it, it slowly decayed until all that is left now is dust and rubble. That area is still considered cursed to this day, and no one will build on it." He pointed at what was almost a scar high up among the buildings near where the city disappeared around the curve of the gorge. That area looking strangely pale, as it was devoid of the colours of the buildings around it. "You can see it from here, and with every traveller who comes here seeing it as they arrive at the city, the city itself will never be able to forget the price they paid long ago for the war that king attempted to wage on the Desians. That's why there has never been a concerted effort against the Desian's since then. That is until the raid you staged on the Asgard Ranch. The people were too afraid. But even when beaten down by fear, there is only so much a people will take before they strike out at their tormentors."

Saying nothing more, they continued down the road, heading for the great City Gate roughly half a mile away. The Gate was a huge stone arch, carved across its entire surface with wind motifs. At this time of day the huge wooden doors set into it stood open, and upon reaching it the group was waved through while a message runner sprinted ahead to spread the word that the Chosen of Regeneration, she who brought about the fall of the Asgard Ranch, had arrived in the city. The cheers that greeted them as they walked past the first people to gather at the sides of the road were tremendous, a reverberating roar of support that echoed off the walls of the huge gorge which this city perched on the side of. Walking past these massed people, Genis and Raine began to look a little nervous. After all, they'd agreed to come out into the open about their being half-elves, and there'd been more than enough time since they'd left Luin for the Ranch for that piece of information to become common knowledge across all of Sylvarant. This was the first time they'd entered a true settlement since then, Aisa as a Church Hamlet didn't count, and right now they didn't know how people would now react to them.

Almost as if sensing their unease, Collette took hold of each of their hands and pulled them up to stand either side of her where she walked at the front. It was a sign of her trust in them, and one that wasn't lost on the watching people. There was a brief pause in the cheering, and then the cheering began anew with many people who met the eyes of the half-elves smiling at them.

Trotting along at the back of the group, either side of Noishe, Dallinius and Corrine both looked at each other and smiled. They could sense the difference in this city already. Feel the surge in their powers as the people began to seek to understand those different, and to trust them. Heart and Unity, each Force resonating ever more strongly.

Shaking himself off a little, dislodging road dirt from his white fur, Dalli had a rather victorious gleam in his eyes as his canine grin became rather pleased. Corrine's grin also deepened, as Noishe peered from one of them to the other aware that a conversation was going on, but shut out of it by the spirits themselves. The two looked up at him, still grinning, before darting ahead to leap onto a certain girls shoulder or walk beside a certain boy respectively.

Noishe grumbled to himself.

**I hate it when Dalli has a secret and rubs my nose in it...**

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The morning had been hectic. With greeting the masses, weaving their way through packed streets, and then firmly insisting to the innkeeper that they _were_ going to pay for their rooms and _no_ they wouldn't accept a discount, they were glad that the city had a 'limit' on how many people could go up to see the Dais of Wind at any one time. The area around the edge of the dais was narrow, falling away to steep rocky slopes on all sides, with the stairway built on the south side of the peak being the only way to get up. That dais was very important to the people of Asgard, so much so that you had to get permission to go up there at all, something that had been easy to obtain with Collette in the group, or at least 'easier'. The mayor of Asgard had been rather nervous about letting the group go up there, but had relented when he failed to give them a valid reason why they couldn't. Freed from the crowds, the background murmur of their voices disappearing into the wind the higher the group climbed, the group began to relax.

As they continued to climb, Genis tugged at the collar of his blue shirt, which was getting a bit tight, and then pulled his winter coat snugly around him to ward of the wind, though it did nothing for his ankles... It was official. He was in need of new clothes. Being almost six inches taller than he'd been when the journey had begun, nothing in his pack fitted properly anymore except his coat, which as a winter coat Livian had made slightly on the large side anyway. Tugging at his collar again, he sighed.

"Why are we even going up here? It can't be to sight see, not with the pressure you put on the mayor to make him give us permission."

Vayla looked back at him, wincing a little in sympathy at the boy's cold mottled ankles.

"The key we need for the next Seal is kept here. A long time ago the Royal Family of Balacruft was given permission to bury their dead at the Temple of Wind, otherwise known as the Balacruft Mausoleum. The people of Asgard highly regard the wind, which powers the many windmills of the city that pump water up from the river at the bottom of the gorge. Without the wind, people couldn't live here, and so the royal family asked The Sylph if they would permit members to be buried within the Sanctuary of Wind... and instead The Sylph gave them permission to bury them within the temple itself. The greatest honour they could have given them. When the war broke out, and the King of Balacruft at the time condoned the abuse of half-elves, the permission that had been given so long ago was revoked, and the royal family's key to the mausoleum sealed here within the dais. These days the key can only be obtained while the Ritual is in progress, and once the Ritual either fails or succeeds, the key is returned here by the magic inherent in it."

Genis grimaced.

"Man, who knew getting into the Seal of Wind was so messed up. If we didn't have you as a guide we might have spent months trying to figure it out."

Vayla chuckled.

"Not really. The instructions about where the key is are engraved on the altar that the key fits into. Worse case scenario is that you would have had to double back to Asgard and then return to the mausoleum with the key, which is about four months travel on foot all in all. However, the Chosen of Regeneration traditionally visits every major city at least once during her journey, and no matter if they came over the Hakonesia Mountains, or down from Luin, Asgard would be an obvious place to stop and stock up on supplies before heading to the Seal of Wind. If Collette were to attempt to leave the city without the key, the moment she stepped outside the City Gate the spells on her Cruxis Crystal would have stopped her from leaving, instead pulling her in the direction of the dais to retrieve it. It's the one piece of 'help' Cruxis gives the Chosens, since the key is the only way to open the mausoleum entrance until The Sylph decide to change that... Cruxis made a mistake installing the Oracle Stone at that Seal, and it's only visible and accessible when the key is in place... They were quite annoyed when they realised. The jiisumura watched them trying to bypass it for months before the angels gave up and decided to compromise and do it this way."

Raine frowned at her friend.

"I know you don't believe in the Church of Martel or the Scriptures, but surely you could be a little more respectful of the angels when speaking in front of Collette."

As Collette shook her head with a smile, indicating she didn't mind, Vayla sighed.

"Raine, remember what angels actually are. Angels were normal people once, and remain people except that they now have extraordinary abilities. No person is perfect, not even them, though they like others to think they are. That's one of the main differences between Cruxis Angels, and Crystal Users... Crystal Users never try to forget that they're still the people they were before, complete with personal flaws, while Angels constantly seek to make themselves perfect, effectively seeking to wipe out the traces of their former existence. The Alurannai see that as being the biggest act of vanity possible, and also incredibly foolish. How can a group of people, who seek to purge their former existence from themselves, be expected to understand and care about the people who live as what they once were? ...People who are what they themselves seek to forget they used to be."

Raine's frown deepened. She wanted to tell Vayla she was wrong, but something in those words struck her as being true... After all, look at what 'becoming an angel' was asking of Collette... The complete and utter sacrifice of her former life as a human... Collette Brunel would cease to exist, and Collette the Angel would take her place.

In the end she said nothing, her silence alone confirming that there was at least a little among what the alurannai woman had said that she agreed with. As for Collette, she bit her lower lip, averting her eyes. Of all those present, only Genis was oblivious as to how the Ritual would end for her.

Wishing for some way to break this discussion, it was with great relief that Raine realised that while they had been talking they had climbed the last of the way up to the Dais of Wind. She immediately went into her 'Ruin Mode'... or at least seemed to. Truth be told they could all tell it was forced, and that Raine was doing her best to distract them from such an uneasy subject. While she proceeded to give a history lesson on the dais to Collette, Genis, and Sheena, Lloyd slowly began to walk around the dais' perimeter while his father and Vayla flew up to land on top of it to get the key.

The Dais of Wind was huge. It was a solid piece stone, which on closer inspection could be seen to be riddled with fine veins of opal, the gemstone that represented the Force of Wind. Almost ten foot high, unless they had wings most people would have to get a ladder to get on top of it. Walking around the first of the corners to admire the view from this peak, Lloyd glanced along the near fifty meters of path to the next corner of the square platform. From here he could clearly see the statue stood on it's pillar on that far corner, the one he'd just walked past being too obscured by it's pedestal for him to get a good look at it. It was a maiden, with wind blown hair and a look of adoration on her finely carved face as her hands were held out towards the dais' centre as if to offer up her devotion. It was a beautiful sight, and the symbolism made it clear just how much the wind meant to the people of this city, both in times past and in the present. He continued along the side of the dais, hearing faintly the suddenly puzzled murmurs of his father and Vayla, though not really paying attention to them. He rounded the next corner... and stopped in his tracks as two pairs of startled eyes, one blue and one grey, stared at him.

The red headed one of the two young men reached out to something on the side of the pile of suspicious boxes next to them and pulled it before turning to run.

"Let's get out of here, Linar! It doesn't matter if the mayor catches us now, that thing can't be turned off!"

He got about five yards before in a flare of light Lloyd appeared in front of him and brought up a magical barrier, which the red head promptly slammed into. A few more hand gestures and small chants, and both of them were magically bound, Lloyd then stepping around them to take a closer look at the pile of now ticking crates... Wait... ticking?

Lloyd spun to stare at them with disbelief.

"A _bomb?!_ You guys are trying to blow this up! This thing is critical to the Regeneration Ritual you dorks!"

The black haired youth looked horrified, the red head, who Lloyd could now see was a half-elf, merely continued to look defiant.

"This thing is the reason three girls and a load of others from this city are dead! And another will die tomorrow if we don't destroy it! Don't bother trying to stop my 'Breaker'. I made sure that thing was impossible to disarm."

Lloyd scowled.

"We'll see about that..." He walked right up to the bomb, examining it using his craftsman's experience to spot the signs of how it had been assembled. After a minute or so, the speed of the ticking increasing much to the discomfort of the two bound youths, Lloyd continued to mull over what he could see around the switch the red head had pulled. He wasn't bothered by the ticking in the slightest, since he could sense there was no magic in this bomb, and as a mundane blast it wouldn't even scratch him. Finally though, he reached out with his mind and called up a burst of magic, precisely incinerating the detonator which from the crafting marks he'd been able to deduce the location of. The ticking stopped, and with a small smirk he turned to face the two boys sprawled where he'd left them. "You were saying?" Lloyd tugged on one of the sarren around his face, drawing attention to that which in their surprise at being discovered, the two youths had failed to notice. "Never underestimate an alurannai... Do you have any idea of how lucky you are that I spotted and stopped you? If the dais had been destroyed before we got the key to the Balacruft Mausoleum, you two would be responsible for effectively locking the Chosen out of the Seal of Wind."

The dark haired boy, who the red head had called Linar, looked as though he was going to be sick. Such was his horror at what they had almost done.

He turned to look at his friend.

"Harvey, Aisha would rather die than live knowing it cost Sylvarant the Regeneration... It just looks like we'll have to accept it..."

Lloyd looked between the two of them, baffled. Finally after a moment he folded his arms, expression thoughtful.

"I think you two need to come with me and explain a few things to the group I'm with. Especially considering you almost sabotaged our efforts to Regenerate Sylvarant, I think you owe us that much... As for your 'Breaker'..." Lloyd sent a gust of wind between the device and the dais, blasting it over the side of the peak with that miniature gale. It smashed into several hundred pieces, as it bounced down the steep slope below. "You won't be using that again..."

The two youths yelped in surprise, as Lloyd picked them up with ease and carried them one under each arm. Jumping up onto the dais to take a shortcut back to the other side, he then strolled towards where Kratos and Vayla were stood frowning in the dais' centre.

Seeing Lloyd and his 'guests', Kratos raised an eyebrow.

"Lloyd? Who are they, and why have you restrained them?"

Lloyd sighed with resignation.

"These two snuck a bomb up here and set the timer away when I walked around the back of the dais and spotted them. I took care of the bomb, and it's scattered in pieces down the side of the mountain now. As for these two, I think they can tell us why the mayor was so edgy about letting us up here."

Kratos regarded the two youths in his son's grip.

"Then maybe whatever it was that drove you to try and destroy the dais, might have some bearing on why Vayla and I can't seem to get the key... We've tried a number of known methods to call it forth, and none of them have worked. I suggest you take us to somewhere more comfortable where we can talk this though in private... And don't try to run off. You have no chance whatsoever of outrunning an alurannai. Lloyd, unbind them. It will draw too much attention if you carry them through the streets."

Lloyd did as he was asked, and the five of them headed over to the stairway to meet up with the others, cutting Raine's history lecture short as Linar and Harvey led them down into the city.

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"This is my house. Harvey lives just down the street in one of the cliff cottages carved into the rock face. It's pretty small, but I think we can all fit in there to talk at least." He wasn't exaggerating. The inside of the wood framed stone house _was_ small. So small in fact that there was only just enough space around the furniture for the nine people present to stand around the room's edges without getting too close to the fire burning in the hearth or blocking any of the doors. Giving Harvey a long look, Linar turned to face them all and began to explain. "Three months ago there was a tremor up at the dais. A group of the city's best scholars and researchers were asked to check it over for damage, and see if we could find out what caused it, since it was only that peak which shook and none of the others. I was apprenticed under Master Scholar Narden, and he asked me to come along as his assistant. It was a great honour, and I was the only apprentice on the study team. We worked for three days around the dais when Master Narden noticed some of the symbols on the top of the dais had a faint glow. Thinking that perhaps the tremor was because there had been no Wind Dance Rite performed on the dais for so long, he got permission from the mayor to bring his daughter up to the dais to perform it and see if that would help prevent another tremor... It didn't work out like that though..."

Kratos regarded him, as a sinking feeling came over them all. Something was seriously wrong.

"What happened, Linar?"

The apprentice scholar stared at the floor.

"Her dance woke something up. It rose shrieking from the centre of the dais and tore her apart right before her father's eyes. After that it vanished again, not leaving any trace of her except the blood covering where she had been stood. A month later it appeared again, screaming out for the daughter of Journeyman Alber to dance before it as sacrifice two days hence. He refused, and on the day it asked for her to be brought it tore through the streets below the dais' peak, killing fifty people. It only stopped when Kria, his daughter, ran to it and handed herself over. It killed and took her, just like Master Narden's daughter. A month ago it appeared again, and again asked for a girl to dance before it after two days. This time Journeyman Jaffrey's cousin Gemma was the one asked for. She went, and again she, like the others, was killed. It was obvious by that point that it was asking for the youngest female relative of each of the people who were there investigating the tremor when it awoke. It was then that Harvey started building that bomb, determined to stop another girl being killed... Yesterday, it appeared again... and asked for my sister, Aisha."

As Collette rushed to the youth's side to comfort him, Raine glanced sidelong at Vayla.

"I think we can be fairly sure now where that key is... The thing is, how do we get it off that thing?"

Lloyd coughed, getting their attention before he stated what was to him obvious.

"Um... Beat it to a pulp..."

Vayla paused for a moment, thinking.

"It's not as simple as that. If it's the creature I believe it to be, we'll need to invoke the protections built into the dais, to trap it there when we confront it. The only problem is, that once those protections are up no one will be able to get on or off the dais until they're lowered again. Kratos and I can bring them up, but we have to be outside of them to do that, which means that whoever is on the dais will have to fight that thing with no place to flee to should things take a turn for the worst. And Kratos and I won't be able to help them without giving that thing a chance get into the city and kill innocent bystanders."

Raine mulled this over.

"So to have a chance to get close, we'll need to trick it into thinking everything is normal. But that would mean trapping Aisha on the dais when we attack it. There would be no time to get her off it if we're to trap it... Unless..." Everyone turned to face her. "I'm guessing it will have no idea what Aisha looks like, and won't be able to tell a decoy until it's too late. Linar!" She turned to face him. "Can Aisha teach me the Wind Dance? If I dance in her place she won't have to be put in danger."

Genis grabbed his sister's arm, shouting.

"No! Sis, you can't!"

Raine silenced him.

"Genis, I, like you, am used to fighting now. Aisha has no such experience at all I'd say, given living in this city as the sister of an apprentice scholar. Collette we can't risk in that way, and Vayla has to be off the dais to trap that thing... Which leaves me as the only female who can take Aisha's place to trick it. We _need_ that key, Genis, and we can't let that thing harm any more of the people of this city."

He fell silent, his lip trembling before he turned and ran out of the door.

Harvey ran after him.

"I'll make sure he doesn't get into trouble!"

The door thudded shut, as the red headed half-elf disappeared down the street after an extremely upset young mage.

Raine closed her eyes, bowing her head.

"I'm sorry Little Brother, but for the sake of others I need to take this risk. Linar, could you take me to see your sister. If I'm to learn that dance ready for tomorrow, I need to start now. It's getting late, and we don't really have much time." She looked around at the remaining members of the group. "I'll meet you all at the base of the stairway tomorrow morning. Go get some rest." Linar led her out, the group heading outside as well to watch the two head off into the city to find his sister. As soon as the two were out of sight, they too left, heading back to the inn.

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"Hey, kid. That's one pretty tough sister you've got there." Genis stiffened as he felt the hand rest on his shoulder, turning a little to look up at Harvey's face a few inches higher than his own. The red head let out a self depreciating snort. "I've got no relatives like her. I was dumped by my parents when I was four, and Aisha and Linar's parents took me in. They helped me buy my cliff cottage, and even helped me get started as a carpenter so I could earn a living. They were scholars, like Linar, and were killed saving some of their fellow researchers from a cave in at one of the sites where the cave paintings of The Sylph can be found. They got hurt saving others, and although he misses them, Linar's always been proud that they were able to help others with their sacrifice... Now look at what your sister wants to do. Even if something happens to her, if this plan of hers works then she'll have saved so many people. And remember, kid, you're gonna be there to help protect her along with your friends, so stop acting like she's giving herself a death sentence, because she's not." He tugged on Genis' arm, pulling him down the street to a door set in the cliff side. "C'mon, I'll make you something to eat while you get your head straight."

Harvey dragged him into the house and practically dumped the startled and unresisting Genis on a stool as soon as they were inside the cave-like home. It only had a main room and a small side room that was probably where Harvey slept, but it was cosy and clearly well lived in. The work table on one side was laden with tools and partially completed pieces of woodwork. Off to one side, Harvey was now loading wood scraps into the stoke hole of the small stove in front of him.

Genis allowed himself a small laugh.

"It must be handy being a carpenter... Earning your living gives you a steady supply of firewood."

Harvey looked over his shoulder with a grin.

"Aye, it does. This cliff cottage holds the heat really well, so I don't actually need the fire much in winter, and the rest of the time it's just for cooking. I don't need a lot to live here, and for all that there are people in the city that look down on me still for being a half-elf, Lira and Andrei, Linar and Aisha's parents, were well respected. By raising me they did more than just help me find my own feet, their willingness to put their faith in me has meant that most of the people in the city gave me the chance to prove that I could be trusted. Before you guys and all those half-elves at Luin kicked the asses off those Desians, I was probably one of the only half-elves in Sylvarant that could live openly and not be harassed or chased out of town. I've developed a reputation of my own now, so when the half-elves in the city that posed as humans came forward when the Church announced the messages from Luin to the whole city, I was able to use that to get the people to give them a chance too... Things are changing, kid, and for the better. If this keeps up, then by the time those Desian creeps are released again before another Regeneration, they're gonna have a hard time finding recruits. After all, what self respecting half-elf would give up a peaceful happy life to go around pillaging and killing their neighbours?"

Genis smiled a little.

"True. Take back when Raine and I were back at Iselia. When I was six, we'd gone for a walk in the Iselia Forest and two Desians approached us. They were all stuck up and had serious superiority complexes. They tried to get us to join them, acting like it would be better for us. By then though we'd been living in Iselia for four years. Raine was the teacher at the school, and I had my best friends. We were happy, and cared about the village and everyone in it... So Raine told them to take a hike. After that they got all mad and started threatening us. Well, that was it! _No one_ threatens Raine Sage's little brother! WHAM, and she cracked one of them over the head with her staff so hard that it cracked and left a huge dent in the guy's helmet. The other one took one look at the expression on her face, grabbed the other guy who was practically unconscious, and legged it... He he, they never came to us again after that."

The two of them began to laugh, Harvey pausing for a moment to spoon the soup he'd made into two bowls and sitting down on the stool next to Genis.

"Man, I bet that was a sight to see. The big fearsome Desians being chased off by one girl and her kid brother. Like I said, she's tough, and she's willing to do anything to protect you. That's why she'll be fine tomorrow."

Genis, who had been sipping from his bowl of soup, looked at him.

"Huh?"

Harvey tilted his head, his manner self assured.

"Have faith, kid. It was Lira and Andrei's faith in me that gave me the life I have now. The faith you have in your sister. If you believe in her, and support her with your all, she'll be beside you no matter what. There's strength in unity, so instead of trying to stop her from doing it... Help her."

Genis looked down at his soup, his voice just a murmur.

"Thanks, Harvey... And my name's not 'kid', it's Genis."

The red head grinned.

"No problem, Genis."

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"Y'know, you don't have to do this for me."

Raine turned, facing the dark haired woman holding the decorative stave that was part of the Wind Dance. Aisha looked a great deal like her brother, with the black hair and grey eyes that were typical of the people in this region. Quiet and shy, she worked as a maid in one of the noble households. Even when she had spent today with a death sentence over her head, she'd surprised her mistress and arrived for work as usual. Linar and herself had arrived at the house to find Aisha still refusing to 'go spend your final hours doing something other than work'. It was only when her brother had asked her to come that she'd finally relented, a full two hours before the time she normally finished work for the day.

Raine held her own staff, swinging it through some of the movements of the dance as she sighed.

"Aisha, if it makes you feel better then think about this. My doing this won't just save your life, but it will also get the key that the Chosen needs in order to enter the Seal of Wind. My helping you, is also helping to Regenerate Sylvarant." She stopped, thumping the foot of her white oak staff on the floor of the roof terrace of the house Aisha shared with Linar. "So, do you think I've got it? The dance?"

She smiled at Aisha, confident in her abilities. The girl smiled back, before looking out over the city where it swept along the side of the gorge.

"You've got it perfect... Thank you, Raine. Thank you for giving the hope of life."

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Most of the lights had gone out, with only a handful scattered through the darkness remaining. Still stood on the terrace, Raine looked up at the stars as silent as the night itself.

"Sis..." She turned to find Genis stood at the terrace door. "Harvey brought me back here and let me in. He has a key... Sis, shouldn't you be sleeping? How can you expect to fight that thing tomorrow if you're tired?"

He walked over to stand beside her, as she herself looked at him with surprise.

"You... You aren't mad at me? For wanting to do this?"

Genis looked up at her, though not having to look up as far as he'd used to before this journey had begun.

"Harvey pointed something out to me. There's strength in unity... You're going to do this regardless, because it's for the sake of helping not just Aisha, but the world as well. So rather than go against you because I'm worried you'll get hurt, I'm going to help you so that I can make sure by my own hand that you won't... I'm thirteen, Raine. Just three more years and I'll be sixteen, the age when a lot of kids are considered adult and have to begin making their own way. This journey, it doesn't seem like we've been on the road that long, but already we've been going for over a year... So three years doesn't seem like that long anymore. I know I'm supposed to be a child still, but sometimes I just don't think like one anymore. I'm growing up Raine, and it's about time I stopped whining and accept that when you make a decision it's _your_ choice. I don't have the right to hold you back, so instead I'm going to help you no matter what you chose to do."

Stood there in the starlight, Raine gazed at her brother with pride, before pulling him close and hugging him tight with one arm.

"You've never held me back, Genis, and I know you'll help... Because you're my brother..."

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The day dawned bright and clear, the sunlight creeping down the steep valley walls. That warm reflected glow from golden rock, bathed the city and lit up the mist that rose from the gorge in the cool morning air. Into this peaceful moment walked a small group of people, heading for a great stairway that rose above the city to a single isolated peak that stood like a watchful tower over that which lay below it. It was hard to believe that they were heading towards a battle...

Calm and quite, prepared for what they were about to face, the group walked steadily towards that path, towards where two figures waited side-by-side at its foot.

Raine stood there, dressed in a robe of orange, red, and white. It was the traditional outfit worn for the Wind Dance Rite. Aisha had in fact been picked to dance that rite along with a few others in front of Collette as the city's blessing to her journey. She'd insisted on Raine wearing it. As she'd pointed out, the Wind Dance Rite was about bringing life to the city and its people, and defeating the creature that had terrorised and killed the people of the city was in itself a gift of life in that the people would be spared from further attack.

Inclining her head gracefully, as Genis handed her the hat that went with the outfit, Raine placed it on her head and in turn took her staff from her brother's grip also.

"Well then, let's get this started."

Not another word was said as they made the long climb up to the dais. Upon reaching the summit, Kratos and Vayla each walked off to the left and right to stand ready at the centre of those two sides of the dais facing each other. The rest of them stopped right at the foot of the stone platform, boosting Raine up onto it before Lloyd got a good grip around Genis' waist as he, Sheena, and Collette all readied their wings to leap up onto the dais as soon as the creature appeared.

Now alone on the platform's top, her companions hidden from view by its height, Raine walked the twenty-five meters to its centre, to where symbols glowed with increasing urgency, reacting to her presence. She stopped, holding her staff horizontally with two hands far apart, and began to dance. Slow steps and turns, graceful swings of the staff trailing ribbons of light in the air that defied the gusting wind. Move by move the dance took her from one symbol to another across the centre of the dais, their glow becoming brighter and brighter as the tense seconds passed. At the top of the stairway, which was far enough back from the dais to be able to see over the top of it, stood Linar, Aisha, Harvey, and several of the city officials. They watched in awe as Raine danced on fearlessly in the middle of that rising cloud of power... placing her faith and her fate in the hands of her dearest friends and family.

The dance was almost over, the last few graceful steps and swings bringing her back to the point at which she started. There she stopped once more, staff held before her, as the peak suddenly began to shake. The winds twisted, swirling erratically all around them as Raine began to back up. There, in the platform's centre, a fetid maelstrom coalesced, a creature of nightmares held suspended within its embrace.

A forked tongue arrowed between rows of needle sharp teeth, a hissing voice rising from the creature's throat.

"I have come for ye, girl... and now ye shall _die!_"

Raine shouted, her voice splitting the air.

"NOW!"

The creature staggered as she struck out and hit it with her staff. Lloyd, Genis, Sheena, and Collette leaping up onto the dais to race to help her. Off to either side, a chant rose from the two adult alurannai, and with a chime like an immense bell the peak shuddered again as a dome of light reached up from the sides of the dais to join above, the statues at the platform's corners now holding orbs of light in their outstretched hands as Kratos' voice thundered from below.

"Fowl demon of tainted winds! Ye who was cast into thy prison by the power of The Sylph in the name of the people! We wilst bind thee once more in oblivion in their name! Ye will not escape!"

Realising the trap, the creature screamed in rage.

"I am the Windmaster! I will _never_ be stopped by the likes of thee!"

Raine held her staff ready, determined eyes fixed on it as she regarded it with a grim smile.

"I wouldn't be so sure that! PHOTON!"

The sphere of light she called forth wrapped around the Windmaster and exploded, drawing a shriek of enraged pain from its throat. Taking the chance she had, she turned and ran to stand with her brother and Collette who where both preparing spells of their own, Lloyd and Sheena darting in close to it to keep it busy. Those two alurannai ducked and parried the blows of its claws, darting out of reach every time it tried to slash them with the crescent axe-like blade that merged into its body instead of legs. Swords repeatedly slipped through its guard to cut and slash the rancid green flesh, enchanted cards doing likewise as the pair of them drove it in circles at the dais' centre. Silver light had washed over them, protecting them from the spells and mana flung feathers that gradually wore away at the monster's strength. It was as it clearly began to stagger that the two nearby siblings lifted their weapons to cast one last time.

Genis and Raine both closed their eyes, their exspheres blazing as they chanted their spells. Their voices rising to a climax, the clouds of extra mana the two of them had gathered vanished as brother and sister learnt a new spell both at the same time.

"INDIGNATION!"

"RAY!"

The Windmaster shrieked as lightning tore into it. It howled as light pierced it... And then it looked up into the eyes of the two siblings, and saw its doom.

Genis lifted his kendama high, as both his and his sister's spells recast themselves and came into his grasp.

"_Take this!_ PRISM STARS!"

Light shot out from him, scatting as hundreds of tiny sparks all around the dais... and then they flared, becoming great orbs that paused for a moment before hurtling towards the Windmaster from all sides.

The wail that rose sent everyone to their knees covering their ears, as light ripped the creature apart, sundering it for ever more. Silence fell, the wind returning to normal as the barrier around the dais faded. There was nothing left of the Windmaster... nothing but the stone tablet that now lay where it had once stood.

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Cheers filled the air, as Genis and Raine were carried through the streets by the crowds. Two half-elves, one who had risked her life to take Aisha's place and dance on the dais, and the other who had fought beside her and cast the final spell that has destroyed that which had terrorised the people of Asgard.

Standing at the bottom of the steps that led up to the peak above, Lloyd smiled happily as the rest of his friends and family stood around him.

"They deserve it. Even after Luin they weren't completely sure that revealing what they were was a good idea. But there'll be no doubt about it now that both of them will be welcome wherever in Sylvarant they might go. This victory today was for them, but it's not just them who'll benefit. This is another piece in the bridge between the races. Another piece in the path to the world regaining what the mistrust and tension of the past took from it."

Vayla grinned, folding her arms as she watched the pair disappear from view with the exultant people.

"Yeah... Now let's get going before we get left behind!"

They ran after the crowd, soon catching up and being enveloped in the mass of joyous people who had been freed from fear, at least for a time.

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"You wanted to speak with us, Dalli?"

They were high up on a ridge, well above the top most level of the city, higher even than the Dais of Wind itself. Raine and Genis were back at the inn, sleeping the sleep of the exhausted, a long day of celebration and back patting having tired them out as much as a fast hike up a mountain side... Then again, quite a few of Asgard's streets _were_ 'hikes up a mountain side'. Here and now though, it was just the spirit and those he had called. Sat in the middle of one of the only flat spaces up here, at this dark hour, Dalli turned his head to watch as Kratos and Lloyd landed in a flutter of azure and scarlet wings and stood a short distance away regarding him.

He tilted his head. That extremely pleased expression from the previous day returning to his canine face.

"You two both hold pacts with me, so I thought I'd best let you know. If you want me to help in general battle, summon me as you have been... If you want my help as a Sumara Lord, summon me with the formal chant..."

Lloyd looked confused, but his father's eyes widened with realisation.

"Wait... Do you mean...?"

Dalli grinned, and a split second later his outline blurred and suddenly became much larger before solidifying again. There, in all his majesty, he sat as a great proud wolf once more. Slightly bigger than Noishe, but more heavily built, he lifted his head to stare regally at the two alurannai, the double ring of crystals hovering around his neck glistening in the moonlight.

"Yes, I've regained enough power to take on my true form once again... Though I consider it more accurate now to call this my 'Greater Form', with 'Dalli' being my 'Lesser Form'. I've been 'Dalli' for almost five thousand years, and that form is an integral part of me now. Now I can switch between the two at will, and so I will continue to travel with the group in my lesser form, though if you need me in a dire emergency, don't hesitate to ask me to take on my greater form." Again he blurred, and once again he was just a small wolf cub. "Besides, if I kept my greater form permanently... I couldn't play fetch anymore."

All three of them began to laugh, before Dallinius reached out with his power and transformed each of the stones his partners wore on a string around their necks. Kratos and Lloyd moved to sit either side of him, the three of them then beginning to watch as the city lights winked out one by one, its people heading into slumber for the night. The now small but elaborate silver pendants set with moonstone, hanging on fine silver chains beneath their retas.

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**Alaia Skyhawk: This chapter ended up centring quite heavily on Genis and Raine, and I have to say I like it. This was definitely their day. As for Dalli, yup, 'Dallinius' is back in the picture. 'Verius' won't be showing up for quite a while yet though. Moonstone is for Unity(pearly white, iridescent. Though it can have pink/peach/brown/and in rare cases blue tint). Also as for Verius and Krishka. Carnelian is for Heart (It's a deep cloudy red/brown), and Labradorite (pale blue/green iridescent) is for Life. No, neither Kratos, Breuntas, or Lloyd are wearing any item set with Labradorite. You'll find out why later.**


	35. A Small Short Cut

**Alaia Skyhawk: In honour of Mother's Day in the UK, which it where I live, I'm putting a mass of family fluff into this chapter. As for the long wait, I've had writer's block again... :S**

**The song Collette sings near the bottom is Uchi e Kaerou, in english. I've done a fandub vid and that scene is based off it. Youtube butchered the soundtrack though, so the backing music is almost impossible to hear. I tried posting again, but it did the same. I'll try again in a few weeks to see if things are fixed on uploads by then. I'll put the link in my profile anyway.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 35: A Small Short Cut

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A cheerful and aimless melody drifted through the room, as the silver haired youth sat at the table in the inn's common room hummed over the scratch of ink pen on paper. He was making notes in his mage's notebook with great relish as he wrote about his latest new spell. Indignation, his first level three. To say he was chuffed was an understatement. And not only that, but Raine had a new spell too, and their two spells combined into that _awesome_ Unison Spell. He grinned, anticipating getting out of the city so he could practice his magic and 'learn' some more level threes.

As though picking up on his thoughts, Vayla spoke, interrupting his writing.

"I know that look, Genis, and I hate to disappoint you, but you mustn't try to deliberately 'learn' any more level threes. They're not like level ones and twos. Level threes can be _dangerous_ to the caster. They're the mid step between twos and fours, and thus have a little of what makes level four spells _extremely dangerous_ to the caster. Level three spells can be sustained beyond their normal duration, and if a caster does so by accident then the spell can literally suck them dry of mana and kill them. It's rare for it to get that bad with a level three, but it can still be bad enough that it would cripple your ability to cast spells ever again. I speak from experience, Genis. I messed up once when I was young because I allowed myself to become over confident and came very close to crippling my magical abilities. My parents banned me from casting magic for _ten years_ because of it. Also, part way through the war, a half-elven mage friend of mine nearly killed himself with a carelessly cast level four. If he hadn't been a Crystal User, at best he would never have been able to cast again, and at worst he'd be dead. Don't rush it, let your body and subconscious decide when you're ready to learn another, and for now practice your first one, but do so while exercising the utmost care to set a limit on its duration."

Genis' cheerful humming had stopped, and Vayla was sure she'd heard him gulp.

"...I... never knew that... Thanks for warning me." He looked at her for a few moments more, before running a line across the page he was on to separate the bottom from where he was making notes on Indignation. There in huge letters he wrote something along of the lines of 'don't screw around with level three or four spells', and beneath that in smaller writing he jotted down all of what the alurannai woman had just told him. After a minute or so, he spoke again, though he continued to write. "Was that guy one of those friends you said you used to travel with?"

Vayla leaned back in her chair, folding her arms behind her head.

"Yeah, and he still _is_ a friend. Like I said he's a Crystal User, and one of the ones that aren't a part of Cruxis. He's a regular visitor at Nae Shiu, and he's also a foster uncle to both Lloyd and Sheena. His name's Yuan, and Lloyd is named after his human father." She paused, thinking back to those days. "Of all the half-elves back then, Yuan was one of the lucky ones. His father may have died of illness when he was three, but his mother kept contact with him right up until she finally died of old age not that long before the war ended. He was never rejected by his parents, and had the war never broken out he probably would have happily lived out his life with his mother in Talavere, the elven town where he was born. He's like a brother to Kratos and me, and is an adoptive member of our crèche group... Just like Lloyd and Sheena have made you an adoptive member of theirs."

Genis stared at her.

"So... You've been friends since near the start of the war? Whoa!"

Vayla laughed.

"Yeah. We met six years after the war began, when he was just fifteen. Kratos and I were only four hundred and fourteen years old at that time. We weren't even adults, but as Kratos wanted to see for himself what was going on outside of Aluran, Narim Breuntas gave him permission to go. I of course went with him. I wasn't about to let him go off alone. As for Yuan, he was running from slavers when we met, and literally ran into Noishe and me, knocking us over. We brought him into our group then and there, so he wouldn't have to fear the slavers anymore. He and Kratos were friends from the get go, and over the years their friendship has only gotten stronger."

Genis looked thoughtful.

"To have a friendship that's lasted almost five thousand years... What must that be like?"

She smiled.

"Well, you and Lloyd have a thousand years to find out. Yuan was like a brother to us before even a quarter of a century had passed. You'll know for yourself given time."

Genis grinned in thanks for her words and advice, before dipping his pen in hit pot of ink and beginning to add more to his notes on Indignation.

----------------------------------------------------

Swords clashed, metal sliding over crystal as the two swordsmen leapt apart and struck out at each other once again. Lloyd grinned at his father, ducking Flamberge as Kratos made a horizontal swing, stabbing at his father's ankle to force him to step back. Surprised by his son's ingenuity, Kratos just managed to lift his foot away from the attack and with a flap of his wings flipped over Lloyd's head to land behind him, Flamberge swinging down before he'd even fully settled on the ground. Lloyd's right blade may still have been low from the attempt to stab, but his left was ready. Quickly sliding it up over his back so the cutting edge faced up, the flat of the crystal blade, which Kratos had turned to make a safe strike, clanged off it.

As Lloyd rolled forward and got to his feet, swords at the ready, Kratos smiled with pride. What Lloyd still lacked in strength, for he still had a way to go before it was fully developed, he was making up for in skill. Lloyd, like all alurannai, only needed to be shown a technique once and he would remember the theory of it. Walk him through it a few times, and he would perform it himself flawlessly. But that wasn't what made Kratos proud, it was that Lloyd was clearly building on his training in his own time, coming up with inventive variations on what he'd been taught... like the block he'd just used.

The auburn haired man's smile widened, as he pushed off with one foot to launch himself at his son.

"Nicely done. Shall we pick up the pace a bit?"

Lloyd parried the blow, his grin just as wide as his father's.

"Sure, Ata."

The next second Kratos was caught by surprise again, as Lloyd ducked his head down and tackled him, sending them both sprawling. In the moments after as they lay there, they both began to laugh. Swords were put back into sheaths, as the previous dance of blades became a wrestling match. Over the ground they tumbled, dust rising in clouds from the dry earth as they each tried to pin the other down. The peals of laugher grew louder, as the Arshis watching nearby decided to dive in as well for good measure. Ears were tugged, tail pulled, and two faces got thoroughly covered in Protozoan drool... and then to top it off they began flinging magically conjured snowballs at each other. The scene descended into chaos, as the laughter carried on.

----------------------------------------------------

The sound of ink pen on paper filled the small but neat room, coming from the small desk in the corner opposite the wall where two beds stood. There Raine sat, the key to the Balacruft Mausoleum resting on the surface beside her. Vayla, knowing how eager she would be to get a look at it, had given her permission to study it for one afternoon. Setting her pen down and pausing for a moment, Raine looked out of the window, to where she could see Lloyd and Harvey chatting about carpentry and other such things in the courtyard below. Meeting a half-elf who was respected as much as he was, and for so many years prior to now, had been a surprise for her. He was impetuous to be sure, considering he'd built a bomb and was all set to blow the Dais of Wind to pieces in the hope of saving people, regardless of how much trouble it would have gotten him into if he'd been caught. Lloyd's intervention had prevented that, with no one in the group speaking a word about the bomb to anyone in the city. What they didn't know, wouldn't hurt them, and certainly wouldn't hurt Harvey.

As the two boys' conversation picked up pace, with both of them making large hand gestures as a full out debate sprang up between them about something, Raine turned back to the sketch she'd just finished in her notebook. Picking up her pen again, she hesitated, setting it down once more. She already had several pages of notes about the key, and three sketches of it... Did she really need more? She sighed, knowing she didn't. Cleaning her pen, before packing away her notebook and all of her writing gear, she then moved the small stone tablet over onto Vayla's bed for the alurannai woman to put back into her ver later.

Not much else to do, she sat on her own bed, pulling one of her bags up beside her after a moment. She dug through it, right to the bottom where a collection of text books would convince people there wasn't anything to see below that. In fact though, there _was_ something interesting below them. She pulled out a slim wooden box, one that was covered with leather and made to look like a journal with a lock strap. This was her 'secrets' box, a place she kept things she didn't want Genis to see, at least not yet. Though when they'd set off on the journey she'd added a few precious items that he'd already seen, or had given her himself. The box being the safest place to keep them during their travels.

Reaching inside her blouse, she pulled out a string with a tiny brass key on it, using it to unlock the box. The lock clicked, the section of leather strap holding the box closed falling away. She opened it, the well made hidden hinges silent. Only once open did it become obvious this box was of elven manufacture, the inside of its lid covered with a delicate golden filigree of inlaid brass strands, which contrasted brightly with the dark wood and the fine emerald green felt that lined the bottom. This box had been a birthday present from her mother.

She began taking things out. The carved wooden pony she'd kept in her desk at Iselia's school. A little tin flute Lloyd had made her when he was ten. A small blob of gritty glass, filled with bits of charred plants, the result of Genis casting his first lightning spell when he was five, during a three day camping trip to a sandy cove north-east of Iselia. He'd been so proud of himself that he'd sat there and waited for it to cool enough to pick up and then given it to her, a wide happy grin on his face. She pulled out other things, older things. A bangle made of tightly woven grass, made alongside the other children of her home village while sat on the river bank. A tuft of white fur tied together with a piece of string. Fur that had come from a Vale Wolf that had come to the village once a month to play with the children. Several slightly ragged sheets of paper, each baring a child's drawing, her own. More and more small items were lifted out. A seashell, a smooth brown river stone with a large white spot on it, a feather from a Forest Hawk, all had memories associated with them, but that which she by far treasured the most lay right at the bottom... Three photographs. A picture of herself, stood on the grassy riverbank at the age of eight, wearing a pretty yellow sundress. One of her mother and father, arms around each other as they laughed, clearly in love... And lastly one taken just three days before they'd had to leave Heimdall and go on the run. It was a picture of herself, her parents, and a newborn Genis.

She lightly brushed a finger over those dearly missed faces, faces it was her greatest dream to see again.

"Mother, Father, I wish you were here to see Genis. He's still so young and yet he's already on his way to becoming a fine young man... You'd be so proud of him, like I am."

Sighing, she began to put everything back in the box. After a few moments, once most of it was safe inside, she picked up the little tin flute and began to play. A song she'd sung to her brother as a lullaby... the same song her mother had sung to her so long ago.

----------------------------------------------------

Shrieks of laughter filled the air, as the ever blowing winds that rose from the gorge swept up over the city and carried a multitude of brightly coloured kites into the sky. The children ran around the great open square, which at this point in the week was devoid of the market stalls that were set up here each market day. The rest of the week this was a safe place for the children of the city to play, and it was a great spot for flying kites.

Collette ran among them, clutching a kite string of her own as the priestess that had insisted on escorting her through the city watched from a bench nearby. The group had been in Asgard for four days now, and would be leaving in the morning now that she'd done the traditional leading of a Prayer Day service, that a Chosen of Regeneration carried out when they visited each of the three major cities in Sylvarant.

There was a shout of dismay as one of the children lost their grip on their kite. Without the tension in the string, it dropped from the sky to flip through the air erratically, whimsically drifting low enough that a really high jump could reach it. Without thinking, Collette shoved her string into the hand of a nearby boy and ran towards the kite which was being chased by the upset little girl that had lost it. Spreading her pink and gold wings, she flapped them hard to boost her jump, as she had been doing in the gentle winds of the plains for fun as the rising mana levels made her wings more effective, though still not enough to fly without being towed by one of the alurannai. The moment her feet left the floor, she almost yelled in surprise. The strong winds blowing against her wings lifted her with only minimal effort from herself, meaning that with her forced launch she almost completely overshot the kite she was aiming for.

She grabbed it, before hanging unsteadily in the air, hovering for the first time in her life. Tilting her wings a little, she managed to descend and make a reasonable landing, handing the kite back to the little girl who gazed in awe at her wings.

She clutched the kite, the desire to touch those wings written on not only her face, but the faces of all the other children present.

Collette reached out and ruffled the girl's hair.

"If there weren't so many of you here I'd have given you all a feather. But there's so many of you my wings would be bald before everyone had one, and it wouldn't be fair if some got one and some didn't." She smiled. "So are you going to show me how well you can fly your kite?"

The little girl and all the other children giggled at the 'bald' joke, before she grinned and nodded.

"Yup! Come see!"

The little girl wound her string onto her hand until there was just enough loose to launch the kite. She then ran into the wind as she tossed the kite into the air, unwinding the string until it soared high above them. Watching that kite climb skywards, Collette could resist temptation no longer. Ever since she'd gotten her wings she'd only ever been able to glide, but here the winds made possible that which had been impossible for her before now. Maybe here she could truly fly for the first time.

She jumped upwards, beating her wings as the winds pressed against them. Startled, she ascended into the sky so fast that before she knew it she was higher up than even the large kites on the really long strings that the older children used. Hanging there on the flowing air, she gazed in awe at the view of the city spread out below her in the midday sunlight. A grin spreading across her face, she twisted her wings, dropping several feet before she began to get used to the way her wings worked when not gliding. By the time the sun began to creep behind the mountains she'd been confident enough to swoop in and out among the kites of the children, much to their delight. Her first true flight, and as Vayla had said to Martel almost five thousand years ago, 'your first true flight is one that will stay with you forever'. Collette would always cherish this day, and would truly be sorry to leave Asgard on the morrow.

----------------------------------------------------

The sunlight was just beginning to creep down the wall of the gorge, that warm glow of reflected light reaching down to where two groups of people stood facing each other at the City Gate. In the middle of the largest group stood Collette, who was holding the key to the mausoleum so that the spells on her Cruxis Crystal would allow her to leave the city when she passed through the gate. Around her stood the ten friends, who was as close as family, which she was about to head out with once again to travel. This time to the third Seal, the Seal of Wind.

Her arms wrapped around the key, holding it to her chest, she smiled at the three people who had been waiting here for them, ready to see them off on the next leg of the Regeneration Journey.

"Thanks for coming. I'm glad we got the chance to say goodbye to you. Because of you we found out what was wrong with the dais, and were able to get the key. Thank you."

Linar blushed, as Harvey nudged him in the ribs in amusement. Aisha just chuckled at the pair of them before smiling back at the blond haired Chosen.

"Good luck, Collette, and good luck to all of you. Goddess' blessings on your journey. I know we probably won't ever see you again, but I'd like to say 'until we meet again' anyway... Safe journey to you all, and it's _we_ who should be saying thank you. It's because of you that I'm alive this day. I had no hope left, and yet you gave me and all of Asgard hope again. It may have only been four days since we met, but know this, that no matter where you go or how much time passes, we'll always think of you as friends."

Collette said nothing more, a hint of tears in her eyes. Turning she walked out through the City Gate, her Crystal resonating for a moment as she passed into its shadow, falling silent again as she came out the other side. Watching as the rest of her companions followed her, the trio waved until they passed from sight around the curve of the cliff road. And as the light continued to brighten, Harvey turned to head back into the city.

"She's gonna be fine. With friends like that, there's nothing that can stop them from succeeding." He stopped and glanced back, murmuring to the young mage who could no longer hear his words. "Remember, Genis, if you can't stop them throwing themselves at trouble, dive right in with them. Together you'll make it though no matter what... You better come back here someday, kid. You've got a thousand years ahead of you, and no way am I gonna let you forget me. 'Til next time."

He walked away, leaving Aisha and Linar standing there. The two siblings looked down the road for a moment, to where the group had passed from view, before turning and following him back into the city that was their home.

----------------------------------------------------

"Did I ever tell you, Vayla?"

Collette watched as the kite, which she'd been given by the children she'd played with at one of the market squares, as it danced on the wind above here. It had been two weeks since they'd left the city, and now they were less than a week from the coast due west of the Island of Balcia... Though why they were heading there as opposed to the point some four to five weeks east-by-south-east of them where the tidal causeway lay was beyond her. She'd find out soon enough she supposed.

As for Vayla, she and Sheena were sat near Collette, enjoying a rest after the now standard ten hours of walking they'd done today. Summer was just getting into full swing now, with day after day of glorious sunshine and plenty of daylight hours at the end of their day's walking for them to relax and enjoy it... With the four alurannai in the group being particularly happy with the ample opportunities to just lie back and bask in those golden rays. That was what Sheena and Vayla were doing now, though watching Collette play with her kite was relaxing too.

Regarding the blond girl with curiosity, the ebon haired woman leaned back to prop herself on her hands with her legs stretched out before her in the long grass.

"Tell me what?"

Collette remained silent for a moment, watching her kite flutter on the wind.

"Tell how grateful I am to you, for everything. You haven't just been an escort and guardian to me... Raine's my teacher, and with Genis being like a little brother to me, she's ended up as being like a big sister... but you Vayla, I can talk to you about things I can't talk to Raine about. I can tell you of my doubts about this journey, the things I have to go through... Things that before we met I could only speak to Mom and Grandma about. Dad... I didn't want to worry him. He wasn't raised in the Mana Lineage, so some things would just make him worry _too_ much... When I left Iselia I thought I'd lost that. Thought I'd have no one I could talk to without upsetting them, like those topics would upset Genis and Raine... But I didn't, because _you've_ been like a mother to me, Vayla... Thank you."

Vayla gaped at her, shocked into silence, and a moment later she wanted nothing more than to take Collette far far away from what she was having to go through. Collette watched her, not needing Vayla to answer to see just what an effect her words had had on her. She smiled, and finally Vayla managed to smile back.

Sat beside her mother, it was then that Sheena did something she and Lloyd had originally agreed to avoid until after the time had come to steal Collette from Cruxis. She got up, walking over to Collette with a grin on her face.

"Well if my myrtasi is like a mom to you, then that makes us kinda like family. So what do you say Myru, are you gonna show me how to fly that kite?"

Collette's face lit up like pure sunshine, knowing the meaning of that Sumaityr word from long discussions about it during the journey.

"I've always wanted another 'big sister'. Sure, I'll show you. Here, take the string and when the kite starts to drop give it a tug to make the kite go up again..."

As the two girls chattered and laughed, the kite dancing on the winds above, Vayla watched them. Collette may have to be kept in the dark about a lot of things, but it looked like she'd been 'adopted' anyway.

----------------------------------------------------

"AHHHH!"

"EEEEKK, THAT TICKLES!"

"HEY! GET YOUR ELBOW OUT OF MY EAR!"

"HA HA HA, I GOT YOU GOOD! ...YIKES! AHHH!! COLDCOLDCOLDCOLDCOLD!!"

Lloyd was frantically trying to un-tuck his shirt from his trousers to release the veritable mound of magically conjured snow Genis had dropped down his back. As for the rest of the 'children' in the group, they were a shrieking giggling mass in the middle of an extremely trampled area of grass. A mass that contained three canines along with the youths. What had started as a mid-day game of tag, while they waited for Vayla to finish making lunch, had descended into an all out play fight. Ever since Collette had been 'adopted' into Lloyd and Sheena's crèche group the way Genis had, the four had been acting a great deal more child-like than previous. Days had been filled with endless games of I Spy, Walking Charades, and Continue the Story, a game where one person would make up a bit of story and the next person would add to it, going round everyone in turns. Some of the stories had been truly hilarious once they got going, leading to laughter ringing out across the plains around them almost constantly.

The snow freed from his shirt, Lloyd charged after a shrieking Genis to return the favour, all the while Mezo and the three adults in the group watched amused from the sidelines. The Aeros had decided to sit this out, not wanting to risk losing feathers during the rough and tumble. There was no way he wanted to be reduced to hopping along all day due to lost or damaged flight feathers.

While Vayla continued to make the sandwiches, chuckling now and then at the shouts and laughter coming from the youngsters, Kratos sat watching with a contented little smile on his face. Seeing that expression, which she'd never seen on his face before now, Raine spoke, curious.

"Why are you looking at them like that?"

As Kratos said nothing, his thoughts clearly elsewhere, Vayla tossed a Kirima fruit at Raine to get her attention and getting her to come over and sit down.

"Remember when I told you that alurannai adults are extremely protective of children under our care? That includes becoming very happy when we see they're happy. Kratos has had so much to deal with the past fourteen years, along with having to stay away from his son, that it would seem he's settling down into fatherhood again. He's seeing them playing, being the children they are beneath the responsibilities of this journey, and that makes him happy. Just let him enjoy himself watching them."

As she passed her slices of bread as they were needed, Raine glanced at the Inartu, murmuring.

"It's just I've never seen him look so relaxed. I thought I had, but seeing him now I realise just how tense he's been."

Vayla leaned over a bit, so she could just see her crèche mate's face in profile. Regarding him for a moment, she smiled.

"I haven't seen him look like that since Lloyd was little. In the weeks just after he was born, Kratos walked around looking like that all the time. No amount of worries could dent his happiness at becoming a father. I'm glad he's regaining that, after all Lloyd's still a child and will be for long time yet... Mind, Kratos was nowhere near as bad as Noishe was after Lloyd was born. For a month you couldn't get more than two words out of the fur ball, and those were 'baby' and 'Lloyd'. He spent that time walking around with a dopey expression on his face and refusing to take his eyes off Lloyd for a split second unless it was to sleep or eat. Kratos spent quite a bit of that time un-snagging Noishe's enchanted ward harness from things when he got himself caught because he was too ga ga over Lloyd to notice he'd gotten stuck. He walked into a lot of door frames during that time as well."

The two women began to laugh, sharing the sandwiches out into ten piles, two of them smaller ones for Corrine and Dalli. They didn't bother with one for Collette. Back when she'd first revealed to Raine and Genis that she could no longer eat, nor needed to, Raine had tried to give her a little food so she could at least taste it. Collette had firmly pointed out that since she'd stopped needing to eat, her sense of taste had been getting weaker. Reasoning that she would eventually no longer be able to taste at all, she'd refused to be handed even a single mouthful. It had been strange at first, but Raine had gotten used to it, as much as it distressed her if she thought about it too much.

Turning to face the 'mass', she raised her voice.

"The food's ready!"

A split second later the play fight dissolved as six of the seven 'combatants' charged over, childish in their eagerness to eat. Yes, it was nice that they could still be children, at least while it lasted.

----------------------------------------------------

"We're getting to Balcia how?!!"

The group were stood on a cliff overlooking the sea, a sea which was between them and the Island of Balcia. Noishe, Mezo, Dalli, and Corrine had all left them the day before, though why they had, had not been explained... Until now, that is.

Lloyd patted his best friend on the shoulder, giving Genis a wide grin.

"It's just a little short cut. Going this way will cut about two weeks off the time it will take us to get to the Mausoleum... Plus we won't have to get our feet wet at the causeway. My ata's going to be carrying you, and Vayla will carry Raine, so it's not like you'll have to worry about being dropped into the sea by accident."

If looks could kill, Lloyd would have been flattened.

"_Thanks_ ever so much for telling me that. I feel _sooo_ much better now. I take it this is why Noishe and the others left yesterday. They're gonna wait for us over here until we get back?"

Lloyd smirked.

"No, they left to head to a Sentinel. They'll meet us over there. While Vayla said we couldn't take Collette through the Sentinels as it would be cheating, she said nothing about going by air while those that can't fly or be carried go through them to meet up with us. C'mon, Genis. Flying is fun, and you didn't seem to mind it that much when I carried you out of the Ranch."

The silver haired mage sighed, shaking his head.

"That was different Lloyd... The Ranch was about to explode... With that on my mind I wasn't really thinking about being so high up flying."

There was a sound of a tapping foot, everyone turning to face Kratos who was regarding the young mage with a hint of impatience.

"While I understand your reluctance, you and your sister will be asleep for most of the trip. Vayla and I will leave you awake for a while so you can have the chance to experience some of it, but after that we'll sleep spell you. There's no need for you to be apprehensive. Now, I think rather than debate this..."

The next instant he darted towards Genis, grabbed him, and launched into the air so fast the mage didn't even have the chance to exclaim in surprise. Following his lead, Vayla grabbed Raine, and Lloyd and Sheena each took one of Collette's hands to tow her, giving her the boost she needed to fly on her own. The ground fell away from them rapidly as they then flew out over the water heading east. Up and up they climbed, until the air became increasingly cold and thin.

As soon as they'd reached roughly eight thousand feet, the alurannai in the group cast a heat ward around the group, warding off the chill that was making Raine, Genis, and Collette, shiver. Feeling Raine remain stiff in her grip, Vayla chuckled.

"See, it isn't that bad, is it?"

Eyes still wide at being so high up for the first time in her life, Raine managed a weak laugh as she continued to tremble.

"...No, not that bad at all."

A similar question posed to Genis yielded no response at all... He was scared speechless. Deciding to put the two out of their misery, Kratos and Vayla glanced at each other and nodded in agreement, the two half-elves going limp in their arms a moment later as the spells took effect.

----------------------------------------------------

Rolling hills passed by below them, marked by river that cut through the rocky ridgeline upon which a Sentinel was visible. Five paired of crystalline wings folded tight to backs, the five flyers and their two sleeping passengers plummeting towards that tree, to pull up and land lightly beside it a the last second. Lloyd and Sheena letting go of her hands, Collette looked a little disappointed that the flight was over. She hadn't found the height frightening at all, instead being exhilarated by it. Now back on the ground, she put her wings away with a sigh just as three canines and a giant eagle came out of the nearby trees.

The small white wolf among their number gave them a grin as he came over.

"Have a nice flight? Genis and Raine not give you any trouble?"

Lloyd picked him up, giving him a good scratch behind his ears.

"Genis was scared speechless and Raine was scared stiff. Ata and Vayla spelled them so they would sleep through it."

"Speaking of which."

Lloyd turned, to where Vayla had set Raine on her feet and was holding her upright. The alurannai woman grinned, muttering something, the half-elven woman snapping awake a split second later.

Raine stumbled a little as Vayla let go of her, looking around in confusion.

"What the? W-We're here?"

The next second something else registered with her, and she dashed off into the nearby bushes. The performance was repeated a few seconds later after Kratos woke Genis up.

The Inartu folded his arms and chuckled.

"While the sleep spell we used slows the person's metabolism, it doesn't halt it. So after a day and a half in the air, it's not surprising those two needed to go relieve themselves. I expect Raine will be rather annoyed with Vayla and I for a while."

When the meaning of that comment registered, Collette began to giggle.

"I'll bet. Well, let's set up camp."

She grabbed Lloyd and Sheena's hands, since those two were the ones with the tents in their vers, and dragged them to a suitable flat area she could see a short way away.

----------------------------------------------------

The stars glittered in the night sky, as she gazed towards the mountains visible in the far distance. They looked close, but after a lesson from Raine she knew that they were some of the tallest mountains in Sylvarant, making them just seem to be. They towered high above the rolling hills and forests of western Balcia, heading east to wrap around the deep valley where the Balacruft Mausoleum lay. There in that valley, those mountains funnelled the winds towards that temple, maintaining a never ending strong stream of air through those lands. Here though, on the long rocky ridge she now sat on the edge of, the winds whispered gently over the trees around and below her, creating an ethereal hush that suited the clear night.

There was a scuff of boot on rock behind her, but she didn't turn. She knew the sound of Lloyd's footsteps well after knowing him for most of her life. He walked over, sitting down beside her, his legs hanging over the edge of the ledge where she say just as hers did. Reaching out, he passed her a mug filled with something hot. It looked like tea, but without any milk.

Holding it, she looked at him, confused.

"Lloyd, you know I can't drink anymore. Why'd you bring this?"

He sighed, eyes dark in the moonlight. He looked sad.

"Collette, just because you can't, doesn't mean you need to cut yourself off completely. You may not be able to eat or drink anymore, but you can still smell things. Smell is a big part of 'tasting', so if you smell something you can remember the taste, which is something at least... Plus the mug will keep your hands warm, it's a little nippy up here."

His attempt at levity was half-hearted, and it was clear he was distressed about what she was having to go through. About to try and reassure him, Collette stopped, looking up at the stars with a small smile instead. That smile staying in place, she began to sing.

"The wind with words to say; the clouds I saw this day. Now it is time let them fade... away... Flowers bloom gold and red here where I lay my head. Down as the night comes from day..." He looked at her, surprised as she kept singing with that smile on her face. "The sun which blesses me up from on high... Darkens to red as it fall thought the sky... I wonder if... I'm just dreaming... A gentle dream in my mind's... eye..." Lloyd started to smile as well, her song having the effect she'd wanted. "The birds take to the sky; the bugs in fields as I. Walk with them all on this road... to home... The first star shone out the brightest this night... Leading us back to our home... The warm place where I'm never alone..."

She turned her head and looked at him, as he smiled back.

"Thanks, Collette. I keep wishing you didn't have to go through this, but I know there's no other way. Knowing that doesn't make it any easier though. That's why I hate seeing you give up on things you've lost so easily. You may not be able to eat and drink anymore, but that doesn't mean you can't remember."

Even in the darkness, she could see the hint of tears in his eyes. Tears of frustration at how little he could do for her. She reached out, putting a hand on his arm.

"Lloyd, it's ok. Knowing you care is enough. Seeing you smile is enough. When you're happy, I'm happy, so there's no need for you to worry about me. Ok?" She lifted the mug, holding it below her face to smell it. She sighed happily. "Vayla's cinnamon tea... It smells warm, and warming, like nights by the fire, and the mornings when she makes her special porridge. You're right Lloyd, I can still remember the tastes, even though it won't be long before I can't experience them anymore. When that time comes, I can still always smell those things and remember." She lifted the mug higher, taking one small sip that she could roll around her mouth even though she couldn't swallow it. Her memories filling in the gaps in what she could now taste, making it seem almost like everything was still normal. She smiled, still holding the mug close. "Thank you for reminding me to live while I can. If I hadn't known you, hadn't had you to make me see things clearly, I think I might have given up a long time ago... That's what you've done and can still do for me, Lloyd... Remind me to live no matter what I have to face."

She lowered the mug, looking up at the stars once more, with Lloyd sitting there beside her.

----------------------------------------------------

It was the break of dawn, pale light reaching tentatively down though the gaps between the leaf laden branches of the trees. Her world swayed to the rhythm of the wind, that small movement familiar comforting, a constant reminder that she was alive. Sliding out of the empty bed, a bed that had remained devoid of the comforting presence of her husband for more than a year, Anna went through her usual routine of dressing and donning her reta, heading to the front door of the apartments to retrieve the day's reports from the box outside.

Sheaf of papers in hand, she returned to her bedroom and sat at the desk, beginning her morning task of reading through them and writing replies to those that required them. It was when she was nearing the bottom that she came across an envelope bearing the words 'journey report' on them in Kratos' handwriting. She tore it open, and began to read.

_Have just flown across the sea to the tip of Balcia. All is going well, and no sign of Cruxis spies following us. Yggdrasil clearly doesn't feel threatened by my being near Collette. Will find out when we reach and release the Seal if the backups will be ignored as innocent. Remiel will be right above them, so if he fails to perceive them as a threat at that close a range, then we can safely assume they never will be. Will send further word once the Seal is released. Kratos._

Setting the letter down, she sighed. No matter how much she hoped for it, Kratos never added a personal message to the ends of his reports. She wished he would. About to set the report aside, she realised there was something else in the envelope. Pulling out, she unfolded the small piece of paper to find handwriting that definitely wasn't her husbands.

_Hi Myrta. I asked Ata to put this in with the report before he sent it. I just wanted you to know I'm ok, and so is Ata and everyone else. I really miss you, but I know I'll have to wait until after we've been to the Tower before I can see you again, and the way things are that'll be about another year at least. I'm gonna put a letter in with every report from now on, if you could send messages to us now and then. That way we don't have to be almost completely cut off except for reports. Why Ata didn't think to ask himself, I'm not sure, unless he's still got too much on his mind. _

_Anyway, you'd have had fun with us today. We flew over the sea! It was great, but Raine was scared stiff and Genis was freaked out so much he couldn't speak. Ata and Vayla spelled them to make them sleep, so they missed most of the flight. Vayla says it going to take us about four weeks to reach the Mausoleum from where we are now, which means it won't be long before we have to do more fighting again. Ata says I'm getting really good at sword fighting now, and I keep surprising him with moves I make up on my own. I'm still nowhere near as strong as he is though._

_I'm not sure what else to write right now, so I'll end this here. Ceika ut nai ceinu. Lloyd._

She clutched the letter, wiping tears from her face.

"Yes. Until the next time, mi aturu."

Anna folded the letter, tucking it into one of her pockets before picking up the next report. She'd treasure that letter, and every one that would follow it. They were a window into her son's life, which for now she couldn't be a part of.

----------------------------------------------------

Papers were strewn across the table, two people reading over them for what seemed like the thousandth time. Tucking a stray strand of blond hair behind an ear, Aradine read aloud from the letter she held.

"We've just got to the Triet Oasis. It's really hot here, but the inside of the inn is nice and cool. I think it's because they dig down so that the bottom floor is below the ground. There's a lot of people here right now, since it's the time of the big market. Sandra, the innkeeper, is really nice, and we met one of Vayla's crèche mates here too. Her name's Tasha, and she's not very good at Cat's Cradle. Some more of their friends were there too. Tia isn't very good at Cradle either, and David really likes Sandra. The rest are lots of fun too, but they're not staying long so they'll be gone by the time we get back from the Seal of Fire. We'll be leaving tomorrow to head for the Seal. I'll send you another letter when we get back."

This time Frank lifted a letter, the one their daughter had promised in the previous.

"It was really really hot at the Seal, and we had to fight lots of monsters and this funny box called a Fake, which had a key we needed in it. I got to use the Sorcerer's Ring to light some torches to open up the path for us. It was funny because everyone was wondering how to open the path when I spotted a torch and lit it. The fight at the Seal wasn't too bad. Genis learned to use a Unison Spell, called Ice Storm, with Vayla, and I got to use my Ray Thrust trick to end the battle. Everyone was really surprised, it was funny. Lord Remiel came after that and gave me wings! They're really pretty, all pink and gold and sparkly. I can't fly though. Vayla says it's because the mana is still too thin, so that means I'll be able to fly later on in the journey once I've released more Seals. I write again when we get to the next town. Right now I need to go get ready for tomorrow. I'm leading the Prayer Day service, and they're putting me on a little boat out on the water of the oasis so all the city can stand on the shore and be able to see me. Bye for now."

The next letter was, as Collette had promised, Izoold.

"Hi Mom, hi Dad, we're at Izoold now. You'll never guess what. We found Vayla's missing daughter! Her name's Alysii, but she's not used to being called that because her memory is still coming back, so we all call her Sheena. We bumped into her at the Ossa Trail, and when Vayla saw her she recognised her. Vayla's really happy right now, and so it Mezo. He's an Aeros, a Protozoan that looks like a really big eagle. He's yellow and white, and he keeps preening Sheena's hair because he's really happy to be with her again. She has a little spirit friend called Corrine too. He looks like a little fox with these bluey-green tails. He likes to play pretend at being a dog for little kids. We saw him sitting and rolling over for a little girl, and we saw another spirit, that looked like a white puppy, called Dalli. He partnered to Lloyd's father, and he came to check up on Lloyd. We saw him playing fetch with a little boy and he was running around shouting 'stickstickstickstickstick'. It was funny. After that Sheena and I went to the little beach while Lloyd and Genis went for a walk to look around. She was teaching the older kids how to do handstands while I made sandcastles with the little ones. Vayla couldn't get a boat to Palmacosta, so when we leave in the morning we're going north to Hima, and from there to Luin. I write to you again when we get there."

"We've just got to Hima. We travelled with some of the Carav'ners on the way here. They were really nice and we got to help the youngest one to paint her cart because she'd driven it long enough without breaking it that she'd earned it and it became hers. We split up from them after crossing the Ossa's Arm, and headed to Hima on a path south of the mountains. The view of the Tower of Salvation here is really pretty. It glows with a white halo above the mountains, and goes all gold when the sun sets. An alurannai woman called Livian came to meet us, here too. Vayla asked her to come to make Genis a winter coat, because the shops here only had one that fit him and it looked like a furry dress, hee hee. His new one is a really nice dark blue with grey fur trim the same colour as his hair. He really likes it. We'll be leaving in the morning to head for Luin. It's Genis' birthday in two weeks, and we think he'd lost track of time and doesn't know it. Lloyd, Sheena, and I are going to surprise him. I'll write again when we reach Luin."

"It's really cold now, and there's lots and lots of snow. Vayla got a sled from where she's from, a really light one that Noishe can pull. Me, Raine, and Genis all rode in it once we left the forest north of the Hima Mountains. Vayla said that forest was called the White Cathedral in the past, and I can see why. The snow settles on the trees and forms a domed roof even though it should fall through. It really is just like the roof of a cathedral. There were lots of plant monsters in there, but they left us alone because Vayla, Lloyd, and Sheena were with us. Plant monsters don't attack alurannai. The ride in the sled was really fun, though we got really stiff from sitting in it. We only travelled five hours a day while using it so Noishe didn't tire himself out too much. Right now it's Lloyd and Sheena's nineteenth birthday, and Sheena's father Rennan is here to see her. Lloyd's uncle, Jason, is here too. Did you know Lloyd's mom is human? Jason is her brother, and he's human. He said she and Lloyd's father fell in love at first sight, which is really really romantic. We're going to rest here for a couple of days, until after Prayer Day so I can lead a service, and then we're going to the Tower of Mana to release the next Seal. Wish me luck."

The next letter had reached them barely two hours before a messenger bird had arrived bearing the news of what had happened to Luin.

"We've got back from the Seal and we're at Luin. We're just getting ready to head out again. There's not much to say about the Tower of Mana. It was a lot like the Seal of Fire, except it wasn't really really hot. We actually had to fight _giant enchanted teddy bears!_ They looked cute at first, but then became really mean with claws and teeth. One of them hurt Lloyd, so I beat them up and one of them had a key inside it that we needed to open the door. After I released the Seal, Lord Remiel came again and granted me some more angelic power. I'm getting really strong now, hee hee. I picked up Genis on the way back, when the snow had melted too much to use the sled any more. His legs were getting tired so I carried him. He was really surprised. Well, I've go to go. We've got a lot to do before we start out again. I'll write again as soon as we stop at the next town."

No mention that parts of Luin were in charred ruins. No mention of the Desian attack. No mention that two thousand civilians had been killed. No mention that five hundred had been taken to the Ranch... And certainly no mention that she was about to single handedly instigate a raid on the Asgard Ranch. The next letter had come some weeks later, once the group had reached Aisa and found a panicked letter waiting for her.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you what I was going to do. I didn't want you to worry. Everything went fine, and we got all the people out and destroyed the Ranch. Lloyd's mom came and helped us get in, and she messed up the Ranch's security so all the wrong doors would lock when the alarm went off. I helped get the prisoners out, while Lloyd, Sheena, Genis, and Raine went to the Control Room to open the gates for us to get out. Lloyd's father arrived and helped them, and he's travelling with us now. And you'll never guess what I found out. There are people the Alurannai call Crystal Users, and they're angels except they're not a part of Cruxis. She told me that Crystal Users have been about for thousands and thousands of years, long before the Tree died and Cruxis was founded. Lloyd's mom is one of them and she's really really strong. A lot stronger than me. Once everyone was out and the Ranch destroyed. She had to go back to a place called Nae Shiu, she has lots of things she has to look after while Lloyd's father helps us for the rest of the journey. Right now he's training Lloyd and Sheena each night when we stop to camp. Both of them are really tired afterwards, but he must know what he's doing because they're getting a lot better at fighting now. Everything is fine, and I'm ok and not hurt. We'll be leaving Aisa in the morning to head for Asgard to stock up on supplies before we go to the Seal of Wind, and also so I can lead a Prayer Day service there since we'll head straight to Palmacosta once we've released the Seal of Wind. I'll write to you again when we get there."

That letter had brought a great deal of relief, and the messages coming from Luin in the weeks after revealed that nothing short of a revolution had started there. Half-elves had willingly sacrificed their lives protecting the city, resulting in far fewer people being killed and taken than the city officials estimated from the size of the Desian Raid. The news that Genis and Raine were actually half-elves, and not elves as previously thought, had been a shock as well. The mayor of Iselia had been livid, denouncing them, only to be thoroughly cowed by the people of the village who took great pride in the pair once news of their efforts had reached them. Just after that Phidra had pointed out that key phrase in the scriptures, and now every church in Sylvarant was preaching it. It meant that just two and a half weeks later, when the group had reached Asgard, half-elves were starting to get a very different reception.

"We're at Asgard now. We got here yesterday morning, but we found out there was a monster at the Dais of Wind and it was asking for sacrifices. Raine took the place of the girl it had asked for, so we could trick it and trap it on the dais. We all fought it, and Genis and Raine learned some new spells and completely blew it to bits. The people were so happy they carried them through the city cheering. No one cares anymore that they're half-elves. When we killed the monster we got the key to the Balacruft Mausoleum, which it what we went up to the dais to get only to meet someone up there who told us what was going on. We'll be leaving Asgard in two days, as soon as I've led a service. Right now we're all enjoying relaxing for a while. The views are wonderful here, and there's so much to see in the city. One of the priestesses is going to take us on a tour tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to it. I'll write again after we've been to the next Seal... If hugs had wings, mine would fly to you every day. Collette."

That was how all of her letters ended. 'If hugs had wings, mine would fly to you every day'. Her letters were filled with a joy for life, and a determination to continue enjoying it. No mention was made of her suffering, her doubts, her fears... But neither parent needed to read them to know they were there. Both of them could read all to easily between the lines.

Setting that last letter down, Frank looked at his wife and she sighed and whispered.

"We're here for you, Collette. No matter how far away you are, we'll always be here for you. Take care my beloved daughter."

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**Alaia Skyhawk: I'm dedicating this chapter to my mum, who I surprised last Saturday in front of a load of total strangers by meeting up with her at a local cafe carrying a HUMONGOUS bunch of flowers. She got all teary eyed, even more so when my dad gave her flowers too because it was their anniversary. (Grins) Aww, cute family moment. :)**


	36. Seal of Wind

**Alaia Skyhawk: And now it is time for the next Seal. I'll also add I put that bit in about lvl 3 spells being dangerous, so that Genis would only learn one every so often. He'd become too powerful too quickly for this early part of the fic otherwise.**

**As for the wait, I've been in a bit of a writing flunk. I knew what I wanted to write, I just couldn't motivate myself to type it :S**

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 36: Seal of Wind

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"GRAVE!"

Spears of rock shot up out of the ground, piercing the sphere of shrieking air mana. A scythe of wind came from another, forcing the young mage block it with Force Field. The group had just arrived at the Balacruft Mausoleum to be attacked by the now familiar elementals. Close to forty of them had come screaming from all around the ruined courtyard in which they stood, surrounding the group and attacking without hesitation. Now left to fend off the assault, the group were pounding the fury fuelled constructs with relative ease... Then again, that was probably because Kratos had been revealed to be almost a one man army. The moment the elementals had attacked he'd taken to the air and vanished, much to Raine's disgust as she assumed he'd made a run for it. That had lasted all of about two seconds as the elementals at the back of the mob started disintegrating one after another. The blur of azure, dark purple, and auburn that was Kratos flicking in and out of view, moving so fast that he was impossible to track.

The last elemental fell, Kratos suddenly appearing behind it and slicing it in two with his sword. He was breathing heavily, with a trace of sweat on his brow, but that was the only indication of the energy his display of extreme speed had consumed. He was as calm and composed as ever, and sheathed Flamberge as soon as he confirmed that there were none of the elementals left.

Genis regarded him with awe.

"How did you do that? Move so fast..."

Kratos chuckled quietly, still breathing hard.

"It's a variation on Light Jumping. It's the same technique, repeated over and over so that the user is only 'solid' for the tiniest fraction of a second between each jump. That fraction is the time in which I attacked, using either my sword or an instant cast spell. It's an incredibly powerful technique, but it's also terribly draining on the user's mana reserves. It's not something I use often. I did in this case because the sheer number of elementals might have overwhelmed the group otherwise. Well, as it is still fairly early, perhaps we should head up to the Mausoleum entrance and rest there for an hour or so before we go in. There's no reason why we should wait until tomorrow before tackling the trial itself, not with only having walked for two hours today. Once we've opened the path to the Seal, we can rest again then."

It was true, none of them were tired. Long familiarity with the routine meant that a walk of five miles or so was nothing to them. Walking off ahead a little, Raine reached into her pocket and pulled out her notebook.

"That's fine with me. I'll just take a look around for a bit. Don't worry, I won't go far and I'll try to stay in line-of-sight."

She walked away at a sedate pace, a look of anticipation on her face... but not the slightest sign of going into 'Ruin Mode'. The group stared after her like she'd grown an extra head... Raine... at one of the oldest and most historically saturated places in Sylvarant... and she _hadn't_ gone nuts over it.

Vayla blinked.

"Um, Raine... Are you feeling ok?"

The half-elven woman stopped and looked back.

"What? You think that because I'm keeping my excitement in check this time, that I'm ill or something? It came to my attention a while back that I was being over enthusiastic in my research... To the extent I was occasionally ignoring the feelings of those around me... So this time I will do my research without doing anything that might prove discomforting for those around me. Do you have a problem with that?"

Vayla blinked again.

"Umm... nope."

Raine continued on her way, leaving the rest still standing there in shock. Finally, after a few seconds, Collette broke the silence.

"I'm gonna go put the key in the altar. Vayla, can you give me it?" Vayla got the item out of her ver, numbly passing it to the blond haired girl. "Thank you."

Collette walked off, Lloyd, Genis, and Sheena following after a moment leaving Kratos and Vayla standing there. The former cleared his throat.

"I think this proves that no matter how much you think you know a person, you never truly have them figured out."

Vayla blinked several times more before answering.

"...I think you're right..."

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The inside of the mausoleum was dark... dark and surprisingly dry. Normally you would expect a place like this to be damp, but instead it was dusty without a hint of moisture, little clouds of that dust rising to drift down the passageway to their left with every step they took. 

Peering into the darkness, Collette paused.

"I can hear the wind blowing through this place. There are flows of it everywhere, too many to count. I can hear wings too, there's something in here, and there's a lot of them."

Settling her glaive more easily in her grip, Vayla listened as well.

"Gargoyles. People think of them as creatures of stone, since they're often carved from stone to ornament buildings, but they're actually creatures of wind. I also think I should remind you that this place it also a crypt for the Balacruft Dynasty. Hundreds of bodies are buried here, and with the mana disruption causing the creation of the elementals, quite often the bones of the dead will begin walking, attacking any who come near."

There was an audible gulp, coming from a certain silver haired mage. Genis suddenly looked very uncomfortable.

"Z-Zombies? There are zombies in here?"

The man at the group's head glanced back, shaking his head.

"No, Genis, zombies are the walking remains of the _recently_ dead and are mostly composed of rotting flesh. The long dead have no flesh, just bones. Walking skeletons are what the Alurannai call '_Vavagitenue._' _Vanui utuva girrka tenuinsi que_. Those that have forgotten sleep... They remain always, never resting, until such a time as they are forcibly put to that rest. Back when the Alurannai still had a Saeniisumura here, it was part of their job to deal with the occasional vavagitenue. But since almost four thousand years have passed, naturally there will be quite a few roaming this place now. Do not fear though, they are easily dispatched. Far easier than the gargoyles, which won't just shamble towards you and stand there as you hit them."

Genis didn't look particularly reassured, but a new topic provided a welcome distraction as Collette found a torch and lit it with the Sorcerer's Ring. As the command word she'd used faded into silence, she put her hand on the engraved wall the torch lit up.

"It's in angelic. '_The world is a giant. Its ruby left hand is the throne of gods, its emerald right hand is the power of gods, its pearl white left leg is the calm earth, its topaz right leg is the rich earth, and its lapis lazuli body is the blue wind princess. To reach the Holy Seal, the blessings from the right and left of the giant thee must possess'_." She frowned. "It is some kind of riddle?"

Reading the inscription, the image of it becoming imprinted in her memory, Vayla mulled it over.

"I would say it's the solution to a riddle, or the means to solve one. It revolves around colours associated with a limb or concept, like a reference key." She turned and started down the passage again. "We can think about it more as we go. It's best we keep moving."

No one disagreed, and it wasn't that long before they entered an immense chamber the same shape as the mausoleum itself. Square at ground level rising up to a single point overhead like a pyramid. Inside there were many levels and openings that appeared to be side passages. Stopping next to a section of wall that was a single piece of solid stone, unlike the walls either side of it, Kratos frowned.

"The old route has been blocked... Which means we'll have to pass up through the various levels of this crypt rather than the direct path across the bridge that this door led to. This wall is polycarbonate, it would take days for Vayla and I to break through it to open the door, and the fact it's here means that the trial itself must be to pass through the crypt... And that means we're going to have to be very careful..."

The blond girl among them looked puzzled.

"Why would we have to be more careful going through the crypt?"

Vayla grimaced.

"Two words... Booby traps... Most of this temple was given over to the Balacruft Dynasty and even through the Saeniisumura here would prevent the entry of such, they littered it with traps to discourage grave robbers. From here on out you're staying in the middle Collette. Kratos and I will stay a short distance ahead at the front. The Sylph would never have permitted traps here that could harm an alurannai, so if we set one off we'll be fine, unlike you, Raine, or Genis would be."

A certain silver haired mage gulped for the second time that day.

"Great... Walking Skeletons, Gargoyles, and now traps... I think I'd rather fight killer teddy bears again... and those were seriously disturbing."

Lloyd began to chuckle, remembering what Collette had done to them.

"Aww c'mon, Genis, it's not like this is three against four like back then. We have seven of us here, so don't worry about it. There's nothing in here that could beat my atasi or Vayla, never mind all of us."

That vote of confidence got a smile from both alurannai adults, and once again the group set off. The way being lit with light conjured by Raine, who was holding her glowing staff so that the light coming from the head was well above theirs. That light barely reached the sloped ceiling above them, though as they moved further along the side of the chamber they were able to see the bridge Kratos had spoken of. It extended from a thick pillar, which must hold a stairwell, and passed high above the myriad levels of platforms and walkways below it, connecting to a path high on the opposite wall, right next to a large door. The door was grand, and there was no doubting that through it lay the path to the Seal.

A split second later there was a screech of metal over stone, followed by a thud. Kratos was face out from the wall, pinned there by a metal plate covered in huge metal spikes. Those spikes made small dents in his clothing, though nothing more, being stopped by his flesh even though the force of the impact had been enough to knock him across the width of half the passage.

He sighed and began to push the mechanism back into the previously concealed opening in the wall that it had come from.

"I should have seen that coming. I thought the wall looked suspicious." The plate clicked into place, and as an after thought Kratos placed a barrier over the floor panel that had triggered the trap, anchoring it with enough power to last until they left this place. "One trap down, and how ever many to go."

Now Genis wasn't the only one looking uncomfortable, Raine and Collette both appearing increasingly nervous as they peered around wary of something suddenly springing from the walls or floor. At least the ceiling was out, it was too high above them to be a place for a trap. It would take too long for something to drop from there for it to be an efficient trap like the spiked plate. They kept going through the darkness, Kratos and Vayla spotting several more spiked plate traps and placing barriers over the pressure points on the floor for each one. They'd just reached the corner of the chamber when the first monsters struck.

Three gargoyles, creatures like a cross between a lizard and a man with great leathery wings, swooped down with grating cries. Spears jabbed at the group, blocked by a song shield raised by Sheena as the glimmer of spell circles appeared.

"GRAVE!"

"STALAGMITE!"

"GRAVE!"

"STONE STRIKE!"

"STONE SPEARS!"

Five spells slammed into the creatures, the first three from the younger casters, and the last two from the eldest. Each Gargoyle was hit by rock from below, each having being targeted by a different youth. One was then hit by a blast of earth mana from Kratos, and the other two by a barrage of long stone shards that flew through the air from Vayla. The trio of creatures didn't even get the chance to scream, they were dead too quickly for that.

Looking at the three limp creatures, Lloyd gave his friend a small thump on the shoulder.

"See? It's not that b... Hey is that another engraving?"

He pointed into the shadows, at the wall that formed one side of the chamber's corner. Genis looked baffled.

"It's pitch black over there. How can you ask if there's an engraving there when we can't even see the wall for the shadows?"

Vayla walked into the darkness, chuckling.

"Alurannai can see in almost pitch blackness. What seems dark to you in here is only dim to us once our eyes adjust. As for an engraving, Lloyd is right, there's one here." They heard her stop, followed by the brush of fingertips across stone. "_'That which the blue wind princess protects, heads from the throne of gods and across the rich earth, stands upon the calm earth and gazes up at up at the power of gods'_. Going by what we read earlier, this thing basically says blue, red, yellow, white, and then green." She came out of the shadows, smiling. "We can assume we'll come across some kind of lock with those colours, and that must be a combination for it."

Nothing more was said, before the group climbed the stairway visible just a short distance away.

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"Fiirei!"

A bolt of fire leapt from the ring Collette wore, lighting the second torch beside the door they'd spotted from far below. They'd been in here for well over three hours now, and found another engraving with a different riddle before reaching this door. They'd also fought several more groups of gargoyles, and not a few vavagitenue. Sighing with relief, they entered the door as it opened, finding themselves inside a fair sized chamber, in whose centre stood five pinwheels, each a different colour. Between them and the group also stood a strange cylindrical device above which an orb of green mana hovered. Seeing it, Collette grinned.

"I recognise that! I was taught about them as part of my preparation for the journey. It changes what the Sorcerer's Ring does for as long as it's inside the temple." She darted over to it, removing the ring and putting it on the surface below the ball of mana. The mana suddenly vanished, and the stone on the ring turned the same shade of green. Putting the ring back on, she grinned again. "Zephiu!" A small blast of wind came from the ring. "See? Now it does wind instead of fire... Now, blue, red, yellow, white, green."

She ran over to the pinwheels, setting them away in that order, for indeed there was one for each of those colours, with the blue one being in the middle. There was a grinding sound, and a panel in the wall to their left slid into the floor revealing a chest.

Cautiously, Raine walked over to it, opened it, and pulled out what was inside. It was half of a long golden cylinder, with two tracks in it that passed along it from one end to another.

"Since we've seen silver rods as keys in both Seals so far, I think it's safe to assume that's what this is, though there's clearly half of it missing. _'That which is offered to the throne of gods, from the power of gods, makes the rich earth as the calm earth, and arrives at the blue wind princess'. _Red, green, yellow, white, blue... Try that order, Collette."

The young Chosen did as was asked, and a panel on the right-hand wall slid into the floor as the first had done, revealing another chest. Genis opened this one, pulling out what was clearly the other half of what his sister held. Sure enough, both clipped together to made a solid cylinder with four maze-like tracks running its length. Peering around the room, he frowned.

"But where does it go?"

Sheena pointed to the back wall, where a smooth slab of polycarbonate could be seen.

"Probably behind that... I think we're still missing a combination. We'll have to go look for it."

Genis groaned, before sighing in resignation and passing the key to Vayla for safe keeping as they left the room back into the gargoyle and vavagitenue infested chamber beyond.

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"I have to agree with Genis, I am getting seriously sick of this place."

Lloyd brought one of his swords slamming down on a walking skeleton, shattering it as several more shambled towards the group from the shadows. No one disagreed. Even Kratos and Vayla were beginning to look increasingly irritated by the near constant stream of creatures they'd dealt with in this part of the crypt. The engraving they wanted was just a short distance away, tantalisingly close, but they're progressed no nearer to it having spent the last half an hour dealing with wave after wave of monsters. Having Allied Sanctuary on the group only helped a little, since Kratos and Vayla, in the interest of not making Cruxis think they were making the trial too easy for Collette, had refrained from using their more powerful spells. But no matter how many times they used Stone Strike or Stone Spears, or any of the non-alurannai specific level two spells, the monsters just kept coming.

Finally, Genis decided he'd had enough. A large purple spell circle appeared, and he began to chant.

"I call upon thee from the land of the dead, to unleash thy fury of thunder... INDIGNATION!"

The cast zone appeared beneath the thickest part of the approaching mob, and that entire area was blasted with radiating strikes of lightning. The sight of the charred remnants left in that zone convinced the remaining gargoyles to beat a hasty retreat from the irate mage, and the last few walking skeletons quickly succumbed to the strength of the group. As Genis stood there, panting from the mana he'd used for the cast, Lloyd walked up to the engraving.

"'_The holy seal that extols the king, flows from the throne of the gods to the rich earth, travels from the power of gods to the calm earth, and when the blue wind princess is born in the centre of the world, the holy seal shall also be complete'_. Red, yellow, green, white, blue. That's the last combination to get to the Seal."

It was with great relief that they made their way back along the pathways they'd traversed to reach the final engraving, the activation of the pinwheels in the indicated order causing the slab of polycarbonate to slide into the floor, with a similar grinding sound coming from the distance back in the outer chamber. It would seem the other slab that had blocked their way before had also been moved.

Looking at the door that had been revealed, and the Cruxis insignia deeply carved into it, Vayla brought a pile of cushions out of her ver and sat down on one, proceeding then to bring out a low table and ingredients to make sandwiches.

"Time to rest I think, and eat. We've been in here for about eight hours now, and it'll be getting dark outside. I think we'd all rather fight up there in daylight. The Seal is on the roof like at the Tower of Mana in case you're wondering."

With relief they all sat down on the cushions, those who could eat doing so, before all but Vayla and Collette settled down to sleep until morning.

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The pale morning light streamed down from the sky as the constant wind plucked at their clothing. The mountains that surrounded the vast valley in which the Mausoleum stood, were crisscrossed with stark shadows while the sun slowly crept upward to soar over them into the heavens. It was a peaceful setting, serene, but that didn't fool the group. All had their weapons drawn and ready, and had been ready since Collette had inserted the key into the centre of the door below and Vayla had refreshed the Allied Sanctuary spell. The blond girl had twisted it clockwise and counter clockwise along the maze-like tracks until the last length clicked into the panel, and the whole thing had slid sideways into the wall to reveal the staircase beyond. Now at the top of that staircase, standing upon the very summit of the Mausoleum, they waited for what they knew was to come.

Suddenly the winds whipped into a maelstrom, screaming around them until a vortex of air centred itself upon the Seal which lay upon the raised circular dais at the far side of the roof. As quickly as they had come the winds vanished, and an instant later a great blue and green bird-like monster launched itself at them. The group scattered, Vayla taking up defence of Genis, Raine, and Collette who began casting various spells, while Lloyd, Sheena, and Kratos took flight and began to harass the creature, the latter shouting out to the group as a whole.

"It's a Xyapix! Most of it's attacks are short range, but watch out for its wind spells and the feather shot technique it uses!" The next second he had to duck, as the Xyapix reached out with a taloned foot to slash at his head. As the claws passed over his head, he lashed out with Flamberge and sheered the points off them, effectively de-clawing that foot. The creature shrieked in anger, as it realised he'd deprived it of one of its weapons, and a moment later a barrage of blue feathers struck him, flinging him backwards to tumble across the ground bleeding from more than a dozen gashes. He sat up, waving off Lloyd and Sheena who had been about to come to his aid. Using his gloved hand to stem the flow from a cut on his forehead, he began to mutter an incantation even as Raine cast a healing spell on him. "Deepest essence of the embrace of land and sea, rise to my will's desire... EARTHLY MIST!"

A fog of water and rock dust materialised around the creature, suddenly condensing to coat it in thick cloying mud. The Xyapix wailed, as the mess covering it weighed down its wings and dragged it to stand on the floor, no longer able to fly. It cast a wind spell around itself, attempting to blow the mud away, but instead making it begin to dry like cement. Now not only was it weighed down, but it was severely restricted in its movements.

Seeing a chance, Genis cancelled the earth spell he'd been about to cast, and instead called up a fire one.

"ERUPTION!"

Heat poured out of the floor beneath the Xyapix, baking the mud solid. Now immobilised, it could only scream impotently as the silver and blond haired females either side of Genis cast their spells.

"ANGEL FEATHERS!"

"RAY!"

The two spells ripped into their target. Moments later the baked mud shattered, and the Zyapix was no more. It was no sooner than it had fallen, that Collette walked up to the altar and began to pray. Sure enough, as soon as she had finished, her Guardian appeared.

Remiel looked as serene and benevolent as he had at all the meetings before now, or at least he seemed that way. There was the faintest hint of irritation in his expression, though his voice showed none of it.

"Chosen of Regeneration, you have done well. The third Seal has been released, and now you shall take the next step in becoming an angel." 

Her pink and gold wings glittered, as Collette looked up at him with eyes full of trust. As with each of the other Seals, multi-hued light surrounded her, and vanished as it was absorbed into her. As soon as it was gone, she spoke having seen the hint of that which his voice had not revealed.

"Lord Remiel, have I done something wrong?"

The angel seemed to pause in thought for a moment, before he spoke once again.

"Doubt not your path. You walk it with faith and purity, your grace bringing hope to this barren world and its people... I will meet you at the next Seal, Chosen One Collette..."

He began to drift upwards, light gathering around him, but just before he vanished he glanced at Kratos who stared blandly back at him. Then he was gone, and as if his presence had been the only thing holding her up, Collette's knees buckled and she dropped to the floor with a gasp of surprise. Vayla moved in, picking the girl up to carry her out... as Raine glanced sidelong at Kratos, a hint of puzzlement in her eyes..

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It was quiet here, here at the edge of the huge entrance courtyard. They were far enough from the camp that those who were there wouldn't be tempted to eavesdrop, though with the sound ward around the trio to attempt such would be pointless. Here the three adults in the group stood, discussing a certain girl and the new problem they would have in protecting her. Not long after setting up camp in the courtyard, Collette had tried to get up, but stumbled and landed on Vayla. The alurannai woman had been cleaning her daggers, and to the horror of those present Collette had pulled herself to her feet, apologising, completely unaware of the blade sticking out of her arm. Vayla had jumped to her feet, grasping the arm firmly and stopping Collette from moving as she carefully pulled the dagger out and healed the wound. By this point Collette, in shock at seeing the blade in her arm but not being able to feel it, was on the verge of hysteria. It took close to an hour of reassurances from her and Raine to make Collette calm down, though in truth the half-elven woman had been in little better of a state. Genis they'd had to knock out, with Lloyd keeping an eye on him afterwards, and Collette they'd then sat with Sheena, who had then proceeded to tell Collette the 'pros' of not being able to feel pain, hot, or cold anymore... Leaving out the 'cons', which the adults were now discussing solutions to.

"This means we'll have to watch her more closely than ever. If she can't feel when she's hurt, then she might be injured seriously in a fight and keep going without realising, compounding the damage." 

Vayla sighed in resignation. She and Kratos had both known this was coming, but it didn't change the fact that it could end up being a major headache. Equally resigned to the situation was Raine, but now having calmed down, she as least had a possible solution.

"You know how Noishe has that ward harness... Couldn't something similar be made for Collette? Nothing over the top protection-wise, but perhaps something that would let us know during a fight if she's injured?"

The two alurannai looked at each other, Kratos nodding after a moment.

"I could construct something of that nature. In fact I could modify Collette's bracelets, the ones that hold quartz to charge her weapons with an element, to hold some simple indicator wards. I can set the wards to monitor at skin level, and alert those keyed to it to when something passes through the ward... that is if a spell hits her, or a weapon cuts her. That will suffice, I should think."

Raine nodded.

"Yes, that would be perfect." She paused for a moment, before giving Kratos a long look. "By the way, something's been bothering me. I saw Lord Remiel give you a rather strange look, Kratos, just before he left. Why would he do that? I would even go so far as to say it looked like he hated you..." 

Kratos regarded her solemnly, Vayla looking rather uncomfortable. After a few moments, he came to a decision. 

"Telling you will hardly make a difference to this journey, though it may drastically change your perspective on things... You know how Vayla and I pretended to be Crystal Users during the war. When Martel went into slumber I was approached and asked to join the Order. I did so, acting as a jiisumura, so that I could keep an eye on Cruxis for my people. I left twenty-seven years ago, after revealing that I had merely pretended to be an 'angel' all that time, and naturally the Leader of Cruxis was rather upset with me. That in turn means that Cruxis as a whole dislikes me, hence why Remiel seemed so disgusted by my presence. I used to be one of his 'Lords'... In fact the branch of the Order he is in was once directly under my jurisdiction. Thus I would say he likely harbours a greater hatred of me than most... It makes an interesting topic, doesn't it... Benevolent beings of light and hope... hating someone with a black malice. Believe me, if he knew he could, Remiel would kill me in a heartbeat. As it is I am far stronger than him. If he were to attack me with the intent to take my life, I could kill him before he even got within spell casting range of me... His best cast range is about fifty metres... I could hit a target with a spell from almost a quarter of a mile away, if I wanted to, though not with a spell higher than a level two. Increasing the distance to that much makes a level two cost as much mana to cast as a level four."

Raine stared wide eyed in shock.

"_What?_ You were a part of Cruxis? _Are you serious!_"

The Inartu's expression was bland.

"Yes. I have no reason to lie... I was not the only one who left that day. Mine and Vayla's friend, Yuan, a Crystal User, also left... He'd only joined and remained with the Order as long as he had because I was there... Something along the lines of keeping me company."

Vayla sighed.

"Yuan is an adoptive member of mine and Kratos' crèche group, and he's Lloyd and Sheena's foster uncle... Lloyd is actually named after his father. We've known him since he was fifteen, and we were the ones that led him to Crystal Point to get a Cruxis Crystal when he was twenty-six. Right now he's on Cruxis' hit list, and the Alurannai are helping him stay hidden."

Raine frowned.

"Wait, when angels deserted Cruxis in the past, records say that the Order sent out messages to every church in Sylvarant with a description and the order that if they were seen, Cruxis was to be notified so they could be brought to justice for the betrayal... But nothing has been sent out about you or your friend..."

Kratos grimaced.

"Those announcements must always include the rank of the angel in question. Announcing that a bottom to mid-rank angel has scarpered is one thing... But announcing to the worlds that a member of the Cruxis High Order has abandoned the organisation would cause mass panic and riots. That's something the First Seraphim would never risk, so naturally he's kept his mouth shut."

Raine looked like she was about to fall over, she was actually gaping with a mixture of shock and horror.

"_You were one of the Seraphim!_"

The two alurannai winced, Kratos running a hand though his hair in discomfort as he realised he'd let slip a bit too much. There wasn't much he could do about that now though, bar try to smooth it over a little.

"...Yes... Second Seraphim to be precise... Yuan was Third Seraphim... Cruxis lost two of it's three leaders in one fell swoop, though I know that the First Seraphim has selected someone to take my old position. Yuan's old spot has yet to be filled however... And if you're wondering what I know about Martel from my time in Cruxis, I _can_ tell you that she does exist... But more than that I cannot say without putting you in danger. It is knowledge that the laws of Cruxis state should only be known by the upper ranks, and not by the people of the worlds. If I told you and Cruxis found out, there'd be a writ of execution out on you before five minutes had passed."

Raine stared at him, her expression becoming almost frightened.

"Angels that can hate... Angels that would kill out of pure malice... Angels that would kill to keep things a secret... Angels that the Alurannai would go to such lengths to keep an eye on... Angels that would have Collette suffer and die to awaken Martel... Cruxis isn't... what it seems, is it? Two worlds, one which flourishes while the other declines. The Desians being 'sealed', but in truth I'm guessing they're just shunted from one world to the other. The Church of Martel being in both worlds, both worlds having a Chosen, and yet neither world knowing about the existence of the other... Just what is going on?"

Vayla folded her arms, glancing at her crèche mate.

"You started this... You forgot how quick Raine can start to figure things out. If you'd been a bit more careful before opening your mouth, then she wouldn't be asking this now... To tell her or not, and how much to say if you do... That's up to you to decide. But bear in mind this isn't the kind of situation you want have left hanging..."

Kratos ran his hand through his hair again, cursing under his breath in Sumaityr. Finally after a minute or so, he looked at Raine.

"Promise me that you will never utter this to Collette. She need's her faith right now, and to lose it could destroy what hope she has left. I will not be responsible for her suffering like that for the rest of her journey."

Raine swallowed hard, suddenly apprehensive, but she didn't want to hurt Collette.

"I promise. I swear I will never do anything that would hurt her."

Kratos' eyes looked almost empty.

"The deceased Fourth Seraphim. She who it is said to have given her life to defend the Goddess as she fell into slumber... She and the Goddess Martel, are one and the same... There is no goddess, just her soul, the soul of Martel. Held in this world by her Cruxis Crystal. The Regeneration Ritual is merely a tool, for Cruxis could change the mana flow over themselves whenever they wanted. They use the Ritual to break the wills of the Chosens, guiding them to becoming mere empty vessels... Vessels into which Cruxis then attempts to transfer the soul of Martel to resurrect her. The Leader of Cruxis was entrusted with his role by the Greater Summon Spirits, and was supposed to be the steward of the system of rising and falling mana levels. But instead he's hijacked it to try and resurrect her. Unfortunately this means that the mana lineage is caught in the middle. There is no need for Collette to undertake this journey, save that Cruxis will never manually switch the mana flow for fear the people would find out there is no need for the Ritual at all... All that is left that the Alurannai can do, it to make this as easy for Collette as possible. Doing what we can to reduce the suffering she will endure. We cannot stop this, not if Sylvarant and Tethe'alla are to survive, for if one world dies so will the other. All we can do is watch and wait for our time to come. The time when we can bring an end to this pointless suffering."

Raine looked as though her spirit had been shattered, hand clenched to her chest as if it might ward off the truth. Her eyes pleaded for what he had said to be a lie... but the way he'd said it and the expression in his and Vayla's eyes told her that it wasn't. Everything he had said, was true.

"I... I had doubts about this journey... Doubts about why Collette must suffer like this... But all of it, all those Chosens from both worlds... All of it to resurrect one woman. Not one part of it about helping the world. Cruxis should just be keeping watch, switching the mana flow over at set times to keep the worlds alive, but instead they do this!" Shock was turning to anger, as faith and belief shattered into fury. "Those _bastards!_"

Vayla put a hand on the fuming healer's shoulder, thankful that all of this was being kept securely inside the sound ward.

"Now you know why the Offspring Races don't think much of Cruxis. They have power, and the responsibility that goes with it, but instead they squander and abuse it for their own ends. Like I said to you a few months back. We tolerate the system because for now there is no other way for the worlds to survive... Don't let your anger cloud your judgement, Raine. If you let it, you'll only end up hurting Collette. Say anything about this to her, and you might as well rip her soul out. You tell her, and she'll spend the rest of this journey, the rest of her life... like a shadow. I know it's hard, but think about what's best for her. Right now I spend my time helping her enjoy the life she has, while she has it. Which is better? Joy, or depression? Because if you tell her she'll spend the rest of her days locked in the latter."

Raine looked at her and saw the pain in those eyes. Vayla hated this situation, hated what Collette was going through, but had selected the course of action that would be kindest to her. She bowed her head.

"I should have guessed something like this would be going on, once I knew there were two worlds. That night, when I was separated from my parents, I went from a world with mana, to a world with practically none. That alone should have told me something, but I shrugged it off. Knowing that there were Chosens on both sides, the Church on both sides, and that the Ritual was carried out by both sides... I ignored that as well... I should have seen it all along. Cruxis always seemed too perfect. Too idealistic. The embodiment of what the people want, a group of beings that watch over and guide them, and are the source of their salvation... I look at it now and it's all so clichéd. There are holes in it the size of Palmacosta's Martel Cathedral and no one notices because they're too wrapped up in the dream to care." She sighed. "I won't tell Collette, and I won't tell Genis either. He would never stay quiet about it." She gave the two alurannai a long look. "I'm guessing the two summon spirits in our group, the two Protozoans, and both Lloyd and Sheena know the truth already."

Both alurannai nodded, sombre, Kratos being the one to respond verbally.

"Lloyd and Sheena were taught about it when they were little. Cruxis and the two worlds are one of the subjects our people make sure they know the gist of at an early age. When you consider our life of concealment, they need to know, so that they understand why we hide ourselves from the worlds. That's why Lloyd and Sheena were so reluctant to 'adopt' Collette, though they've done so now. The way they see it, she has so little time left compared to them that they want her to experience as much as she can while she has the chance. With them she has siblings and a tight knit family as close and dear as her family in Iselia. We tell her to enjoy her time and not worry about us, for every happy moment we have with her is one that will live on in our memories once she is gone. We've taught her to cherish her life, not just for herself, but for those around her, and that concept is what has kept her going. None of us want it to be this way... It's just we have little choice."

Raine turned, looking back towards where Collette could be seen chatting to Sheena and laughing about something.

"What matters is that she's happy. If she's happy, then that's enough I suppose... I'm not sure whether to thank or curse you for telling me all this, but I get the feeling I would have figured it out myself anyway given time. I guess all I can do now it keep quiet about it... for Collette's sake."

Vayla looked over as well.

"Yes, for her sake... May the Spirits watch over us all."

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**Alaia Skyhawk: As you may have noticed Kratos and Vayla left out the Desians. Raine knows part of the truth, but not all of it. I was going to have her find out what I put here after the fourth Seal, but the 'Remiel gave you a strange look' line, which needed to go in this chapter as it was the first time Remiel and Kratos had come face to face since he left Cruxis, it all led into Raine finding out. She knows there is no Goddess, and knows the Ritual is a sham, but she doesn't know Cruxis and the Desians are connected or the truth about Mithos. She'll find those out at the same time as the others... Man, the 'secrets within the group' thing is really spreading out. Genis knows that one of Lloyd or Sheena is the Chosen of Restoration, and now Raine knows the Ritual is a lie, add to that everything the alurannai and protozoans and spirits are hiding and it's a lot. He he.**


	37. There's Creeps and there's 'Creeps'

**Alaia Skyhawk: And they're off again. I give credit for the opening scene to Sage of Spirits, whose comment about 'looking into' something about the 'Blue Wind Princess' would be interesting. That comment was the inspiration for that scene, and it certainly lets me expand on the riddles from the game in an interesting way (Note, the 1st riddle they came to I added the last line. The part 'To reach the Holy Seal, the blessings from the right and left of the giant thee must possess', I made that up so I could include the other two riddles, which in the game just gave you some extra items).**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 37: There's Creeps and there's 'Creeps'

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It had been an interesting four weeks, travelling the length of Balcia and flying once again back over to the mainland. During that time Collette had gradually gotten used to being unable to feel anything, and no longer wore a cloak against the rapidly increasing chill as autumn began to take the lands of the Asgard Plains into its grip. After the release of the Seal of Wind the mana levels had risen once again and now Collette could fly on her own, though not for long before tiring due to the effort involved. It was just as well that Kratos had quickly made the modifications to her bracelets, for it was inevitable that during her flying practice she would fall and hurt herself in some way, though usually it was just bruises and slight grazing. Three people had been keyed in to those wards, Kratos, Vayla, and Raine. Lloyd and Sheena were left out, to prevent them being distracted during a fight, which was something that with their lack of experience they would still be very prone to. It was an arrangement that was working, and so it would stay as such.

The silver haired woman walked through the long golden grass, grass seared that colour by the now past summer sun. She was heading for a certain figure who was standing alone some distance from the camp, and whose auburn hair contrasted with that golden plain like a flame.

"Lost in thoughts again, Kratos... Back when we met I wondered what thoughts could burden you so much, but now I'm guessing that at these times when you go off on your own, it's to think about Cruxis and the Ritual... Isn't it..."

It wasn't a question, for they both knew she was right. Turning to glance at her with sombre brown eyes, Kratos spoke.

"I spent almost four thousand years at the heart of this system of lies, standing beside a man who had betrayed the trust of the Offspring Races. I watched Sylvarant and Tethe'alla suffer, what few things I could do to lessen that, minute against the total as a whole. I suppose my only consolation is what I consider to be the greatest of those small interventions. The Scriptures of Martel in their original pre-First Regeneration form were written by the First Seraphim, but after both worlds had been regenerated once, he had me re-write them so that the prologue was in past rather than future tense, and also to iron out a few minor inaccuracies here and there. He never did spot that one line I added. 'Martel, Goddess of Hope. She who cherishes all life and looks upon all with equal favour'... Cruxis has a Cohabitation Agreement with the Desians, meaning neither will make war on the other, war which would certainly result in the deaths of the two worlds. I however spotted a simple way to sabotage the Desians using the Scriptures, and that innocent and truthful statement. The Desian Grand Cardinals know that Martel is not a goddess, and they know that she did indeed cherish all, regardless of their race, despite the fact she faced discrimination on a regular basis for being a half-elf herself. That single phrase is what Phidra is now using to promote acceptance between the races here in Sylvarant. I've waited a long time for a Church Leader to have the initiative and will to use that. Cruxis may not force the Desians out, but the people can by simply accepting those that are different. If half-elves are accepted, they'll have no reason to join the Desians, and so that organisation will eventually collapse... Which incidentally pokes a huge hole in the 'purpose' of the Regeneration Ritual, but then again you don't see me complaining."

Raine regarded him, and then shook her head in wonderment.

"You're quite the schemer, Kratos. I knew from what Vayla said that you promise to be a remarkable leader for your people when time comes for you to become Narim, but I'll admit I never suspected the depths to your actions, nor the scale. You make small changes, carry out small actions, and while they do little in the short term you've actually planned them to have tremendous impact in the long. Most people look at things in the here and now, and perhaps a year or so ahead, maybe a decade. But for you to have written that however many centuries ago, with collapsing the Desians in mind, is mind boggling to say the least. It makes me wonder what else in this crazy system you had a hand in."

Kratos chuckled.

"The Trials at the Seals for one. I claimed to the First Seraphim that due to my 'friendship' with the alurannai in my youth, I'd studied the Temples in depth. That naturally made me the ideal person to design the trials and oversee the modifications to the structures... Back at the Mausoleum I was merely feigning that I didn't know the alterations or the riddles so that none of you would know of my past involvement. As for why I stepped in to design them, I was hardly going to let Cruxis have a free reign over changes to the Temples of the Forces. The Alurannai built them as places where the people could go to pay respects to the Force they most identified with. The changes I made are all things that will be easily removed once the Prophecy is fulfilled and this system is gone."

Raine stood beside him, watching as the sun slowly began to set, her eyes thoughtful.

"It sounds like you've needed someone to talk to. Someone who isn't as caught up in all this as you are. It must have been hard for you do live deceiving those around you for so long whilst in Cruxis, and even now you're having to conceal your past from Genis and Collette, and all the people we meet. Now you have a new face to turn to, even though I know for a fact you're still hiding a great deal from me. Don't worry about it, I know you have your reasons, and may in time decide you can tell me." Seeing his surprise, she smiled with amusement. "You're not the only person who hides behind a mask, Kratos. People tend to see me as a book hungry scholar who happens to be good at healing. I keep it that way, because it keeps those I don't want close at a distance. Only my friends and family see this side of me, and even then I don't show it often." Her smile widened. "So, are you going to tell me why you wrote those riddles like that? I'll admit I'm curious about where the 'Blue Wind Princess' part came from."

Kratos shook his head as she had done a few minutes ago, amused, before launching into an explanation.

"Long ago, when the Balacruft Dynasty applied for permission to bury their dead in the Sanctuary of Wind it was Yutis, the middle sister of the three Spirits that are The Sylph, who took the answer to them. Yutis has hair and eyes like deepest sapphire, and at that time it was Balacrucian custom to refer to the Sylph as the 'Princesses of the Wind'. Sephie was the Jade Wind Princess, Yutis the Sapphire Wind Princess, and Fairess the Rose Wind Princess. While Sephie and Fairess were happy with their names, Yutis didn't like the formality of hers, and so when she delivered the message she also requested that henceforth from that day she simply be the Blue Wind Princess. She is the one that created the key to the Mausoleum Entrance, and whose power returns the key to the Dais of Wind. Thus I thought it appropriate to use the old Balacrucian story that pertains to her, as the key to the various riddles I created. 

"'Asgard is a sleeping giant, lulled by the song of the wind. Its ruby left hand, the red mountains, leads to the throne of the kings. Its emerald right hand, the southern forests, build the bridges that spread the power of those kings. It's pearl white left leg, the great mists of the plains, calm the earth and quench its thirst. Its topaz right leg, the shining light of the sun, enriches the earth of the plains and calls forth the life to which the land yields the water of the mists. And finally there, in its centre, lies the Wind Princesses that watch over it all. Though Jade and Rose were loved, the dearest to the people is she who would be diminished in name, humbled before them all as she brought blessings to the land and its kings. She who was Sapphire, yet became merely Blue. The Blue Wind Princess of Asgard'."

Raine was entranced. Hearing that 'riddle' in it's unaltered and full form brought to life in her mind a culture long lost beneath the mantle of the Church of Martel. She sighed.

"So much of the past has been lost beneath the lies. When I think what Cruxis and the Angels must have destroyed to keep those cultures so obscure to the people..."

Kratos put a hand on her shoulder.

"They destroyed nothing, for they were unable to find any of it. Old shrines, many of the texts from the Tower of Light, which is the true name of the Tower of Mana, the Alurannai hid them all. Ready for when the Prophecy is fulfilled and Cruxis will be no more. The First Seraphim was entrusted as steward of the Hourglass System, for that is what the two worlds interact like. He's betrayed that however, thus when the time comes the Alurannai _will_ take him and Cruxis down. Even at odds of ten to one, angels against alurannai, the alurannai would win for our abilities are far more ranging than theirs. As it is, even if all of the angels were to stand up against us when that time comes, the odds will only be three to one. Cruxis remains only because the First Seraphim is in a position where he could destroy the worlds out of spite if we tried to take the system back from him. However, as soon as a new Giant Tree is born, he won't have that leverage anymore."

The half-elven woman's expression became serious, while around them the plains and sky continued to darken and the first glimmer of stars showed in the east.

"So the Alurannai and Cruxis are at war, what about the Desians?"

Kratos closed his eyes.

"The Desians are as much victims as the rest of the people, and in truth it's just a few at the top of their ranks that are truly deserving of punishment. The rest are there simply because with the prejudice and discrimination they faced, they felt they had nowhere else to go. Give them somewhere where they can live in peace, and they'd leave the Desians in a heartbeat. It's just unfortunate that we weren't in a position to give those at the Asgard Ranch a chance to do that. The Alurannai have a number of Safe Towns where the half-elves could go, but the circumstances of that raid made it impossible for us to give them that chance... As for their being war between Cruxis and the Alurannai, I suppose you could say that, though it was only twenty-seven years ago that Cruxis became aware of it. We've intervened from the shadows for a long time, doing what we could while keeping ourselves hidden. Right now Cruxis has no idea of how many of us are left, and so they leave us be. The First Seraphim will never strike out against us as long as the numbers remain uncertain, and as long as he has no way to make new Cruxis Crystals, the dwindling number he has left will make him cautious... Only the Offspring Races know where they come from, and we aren't going to be telling him anything. The Crystals he has were stolen from Aluran, from the great natural seeming deposits we hid in our lands, and that he later found. Right now, he has about two thousand left, from the near thirty thousand that there were in the deposits."

Raine closed her eyes as well, before opening them and looking up at the sky to watch the stars wink into life above her.

"I know I should be thinking that all this is crazy... or sitting in some kind of depression at finding all this out... But then I remember Heimdall, and how members of the Church were never permitted into the Y'mir forest, never mind into the village. The elves know the truth, I'm sure of it. That's why I can accept this, because it wasn't until I was fourteen and reached Iselia that I began following the Church. Even Milleisi, Ianir, and their friends didn't follow the Scriptures, at least not openly, so it wasn't until I settled in Iselia that I came face to face with them..."

Kratos sighed and turned to head back to camp, the sun now just a memory below the horizon.

"They know. They know everything... Thank you, Raine, for giving me a 'new face' to talk to."

She watched him go, as the last light faded from the sky.

"You're welcome..."

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"C'mon, Sis! Blow out the candles!"

Raine sat at the centre of a circle of four children, who were all prodding her either verbally of literally to get her to blow out the candles on the cake they'd made. Where the candles had come from she couldn't be sure, though by the smirk on Vayla's face she could give a fair guess. Twenty-six candles, one for each of twenty-six years... Twenty-six years old, meaning it had now been over fourteen years since she'd last seen her parents.

_I miss them so much._

She leaned down, blowing out the candles as Genis and the others cheered.

_But I'm sure I'll find them, or something about them, someday._

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"Well, here we are. Hakonesia Pass."

The mountain road weaved down the slopes below them, the peaks soaring above them on either side. It had taken five and a half weeks in all to get here from the Mausoleum, and now directly before them lay a small plateau that was cut in half by two wood and stone palisades with a deep spike filled trench before them. The guards watched them with wary eyes as they approached, and it was when they came close that the one stood above that point shouted out.

"Halt! State your business!"

Regarding the man calmly, Kratos called out with confidence.

"We are the Regeneration Group, escorts of the Chosen of Mana. We seek to travel though here on our journey to Palmacosta."

As proof of the legitimacy of the claim, Collette came forward with her wings glittering in full view behind her. The response was immediate, and yet it still seemed somewhat reluctant.

"Very well, five of you may enter, the other six must remain outside."

He didn't say as much, but it was clear he meant the four 'animals' they had with them were to be among those to remain where they were. Turning to the group with a look of bemusement, Vayla sighed.

"Well I wasn't expecting that, but there's nothing we can do about it. Lloyd, Genis, could you two stay with the Protozoans and the Spirits?"

The two boys shrugged, walking off to sit on a nearby rock with Noishe sprawled at their feet and the other three 'animals' arrayed nearby. The remaining five, Kratos, Vayla, Raine, Collette, and Sheena looked up at the guard to show they'd picked who was going in. The drawbridge lowered, staying down just long enough for them to pass within the palisade. The inside was rather surprising, a wide green grassy area crisscrossed with a few gravel paved paths and a single stone paved road between the drawbridges in each of the two huge walls. To their left they could see a small stable and a long low building that looked like barracks for the guards, and to their right was something completely incongruous with the fort-like constructions. It was a small two storey cottage with a tiled roof, surrounded by a garden that was filled with a rather odd assortment of statuary.

Ignoring the stares of the guard who had let them in, the five of them walked up to the cottage and knocked politely on the door. The shout from within was that of an old and rather irate man.

"What do you want! Useless guards! Always wanting to complain about..." The door was flung open, and as expected by the voice it was an aging man. His lank grey-brown hair scraped over the top of his head in an attempt to conceal his growing bald spot, small circular glasses perched on a stub nose that made him appear as stuck up as his manner implied. He paused for a moment glaring at Kratos, before letting out a sniff of disapproval. "Hmmph, come in and state your business... and close the door behind you!" He turned and walked away from the door leaving it open, walking stick thumping on the floor with every other step. After giving each other a glance, the five members of the group followed him in. Once the door was closed he stopped beside a table piled with all manner of antiques, sat down in a ratty looking cushioned chair, and put on a rather oozing smile as he regarded Vayla and Sheena who were by far the most well 'endowed' of the four women present. "Now what can I do for you?"

Off put as he was by the sudden change in attitude, Kratos began to explain.

"We're heading to Palma..."

"_I didn't ask you!_"

Kratos frowned as the old man glared at him, before shrugging and glancing at Vayla to indicate she should explain. She did, though not without regarding the old man as if he were some kind of slimy serpent.

"We're the Regeneration Group, and we're heading to Palmacosta so that Collette can perform her traditional task of leading a Prayer Day service there before we head to the next Seal. Thus we seek permission to pass through here."

Once again Collette brought her wings out, and by her expression she was uncomfortable with the smarmy regard she was getting as the man 'looked her over'.

His smile continued to ooze, giving the silver haired woman in the group the severe urge to slap him.

"Well now, for a pretty thing like you I can let you have a Hakonesia Permit for a mere eighty million gald. My family normally charges a hundred million."

They all gawked at him in shock as Kratos began to splutter.

"A _hundred_ million gald for a pass! That's extortionate! Do you seriously think we have even the _eighty_ million on us? No one carries that kind of money around in a group as small as ours."

The walking stick thudded on the floor as the old man once again glared at Kratos.

"My family has to pay for guards to hold this pass and keep thieves and bandits from using it... And if the Church will pay the hundred million per pass for the ones the pilgrimage tours use, then they can pay eighty million for a pass for the Chosen! If you don't have it, then you can either go to Asgard and get it or wait outside the gates until a pilgrimage passes through and come through with them!"

As Kratos resisted the urge to beat the old man to a pulp, Vayla began to mutter.

"A hundred million gald is enough to hire ten thousand guards for five years... and you only seem to hire a hundred. That's five hundred years wages for the cost of one pass... Paper passes, no matter the quality of that paper, with wear out from being carried during travel after eighty to ninety years at most. So even if people share the passes and they're used for that long, your family must be raking in far far more than is needed to maintain the guard on this pass."

Raine peered around the room, taking in what she could see.

"Though from the artefacts littering this place, and the finery you're wearing, I think we can tell where the surplus is going. What kind of practical person wears silk brocade while living this high up in the mountains?"

The old man scowled for a moment, before the slimy smile came back.

"Well, if you don't want to pay in gold you could always pay with a favour or two..."

He was practically drooling as his gaze settled on Sheena... Who began to flush as red as her mother with fury, the green of her sarren stark in contrast, but neither woman got the chance to retaliate. The next second Kratos had the old man lifted clean off the floor by his oh so elegant silk brocade jacket.

"I, Kratos Aurion, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Aluran, find your manner and your attitude offensive. While I may choose to hold my peace when you insult _me_, I will not stand by as you treat the women under my care as if they were whores. You can keep your filthy pass! We'll take another route, and in doing do deprive your precious pride both of the money and of the prestige of being able to say the Chosen of Regeneration passed through your family's lands... And don't think of pointing out or advertising the fact that she has indeed stood on your land, for a single word from me to High Priestess Phidra, offering for members of my people escort to the Pilgrimages, that travel through these mountains, over the unguarded passes, will ensure that no person will pay to use this path ever again..."

With ease he flung the old man back into his tattered chair, and then calmly exited the cottage while said old man gaped in shock like a fish out of water. Raine gave him a glare before following, as did Vayla and Sheena after regarding him with disgust. Just before she left as well, once she saw the others were well down the garden path, Collette strode up to him and slapped him.

"'Generosity before greed, others before self.' Chapter twenty-three, line twelve, of the Scriptures of Martel... If Kratos doesn't speak to my grandmother, then I'll see to it myself that the money that would have been used to buy passes is spent hiring additional guards for the pilgrimages instead."

She turned and stormed out of the cottage, just as a young woman rushed over to the group from behind the cottage. Her expression was mortified and apologetic.

"I'm so sorry about my grandfather. He's eccentric and cares little for others. Men he treats with distain, and women he thinks have little sense. I assure you, my brother and I intend to reduce the cost of a pass considerably as soon as our grandfather passes on. The antiques he hoards will cover the cost of hiring guards for centuries. So please, don't discourage people from using this pass, it won't be this way forever."

Seeing the desperation on the young woman's face, Kratos nodded.

"Very well, if you keep your word to reduce the cost of a pass once the lands are owned by you and your brother, then we will not give excuse for people not to use this road through the mountains."

The woman glanced at Collette, making it obvious that she'd overheard what the Chosen had said as well. Collette sighed.

"If you keep your word, I won't have anything said to my grandmother. You and your brother aren't the ones at fault, so as long as this place is run honestly you won't be made to suffer for his conceit."

"ELSA! WHERE'S MY DINNER!"

The woman, Elsa, winced.

"I'd better go. I know it's a terrible thing to say, but it will be a relief when his excesses end him. The doctor he had here a few weeks back warned him that he won't live but a year or two more if he doesn't change his habits, but he told the doctor to get lost. Saying that they clearly didn't have a clue what they were talking about."

"ELSA!"

She spun and trotted away, glancing back once.

"Thank you for understanding. Good luck, and may the Goddess smile on your journey!"

She disappeared around the back of the cottage once more, while the group walked away back towards the gate they'd entered through. When they got there, the guard up top came down as the drawbridge was lowered.

He lifted his visor and grimaced.

"I knew you'd be headin' out again. Since he upped the price for a pass twenty years back only the Church has bought any. My father served here before me and in his day merchants came through all the time, but now we don't even see bandits. Everyone uses the 'Devil's Gate' now, three days travel east of here. It's narrower than this one, and dangerous for small groups, but it's free. One of the 'Wanderers' came across it seven years back. Guy had the guts to follow a group of Desians to see how they were gettin' over the mountains. You're lucky you're here now, cos this be the time when the Desian's stop using it. They don't use it when it gets to autumn and the snows threaten up in these mountains. So if you don't mind some hard going, you can use it now without having to worry about em too much."

Kratos clapped the guard on the shoulder.

"Thanks for the tip, friend. May this winter be kind to you and your comrades."

The guard grinned in thanks, before waving them over the drawbridge and raising it again behind them. When they reached where Lloyd, Genis, and the others waited, the foremost got up off the rock.

"So we're going a different way. I can't say I'm disappointed." Seeing their confused expressions, Lloyd chuckled. "Ata's voice carries really well when he's mad. What a lecherous old geezer that man must have been. Treating you 'like whores'? If I'd been in there I'd have given him a good whack!"

Sheena smirked.

"You needn't bother, Collette slapped him before she left."

As Collette turned an innocent look upon a startled Raine, who hadn't heard the slap, everyone else began to laugh. When the chuckles died down again, Vayla turned and led the way.

"Let's get going. As satisfying as it would be just to fly over those walls Collette must follow the laws, and to do that would break them. A pity though, it would have been great to see that old man's face as we soared overhead."

With that they walked away, leaving the palisades behind them as they descended the weaving road to head for the Devil's Gate.

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The 'Devil's Gate' was a rather appropriate name for this pass. It was the one found by Mika and the Harriers all those years before, the one that was the Desian's main route for troops and supplies. Dominated by the Desians during the months when the pass was completely clear, now with snows threatening to begin blocking it, the tracks of many caravans could be seen marking the long slope up to the first split in the crags. Shoved to the sides of that slope were the carcasses of wrecked transports, many of them of Desian origin, the results of ambushes carried out by the Renegades over the years, with the rest being from ambushes carried out by bandits against civilians who braved this pass rather than try to squeeze their wagons through the narrower passes scattered along the mountain range. Those passes were little more than goat tracks in places, making Hakonesia Pass and the Devil's Gate the only two such paths were vehicles could get through easily. And with Hakonesia effectively blockaded for now by one man's greed, it was little wonder traders were risking this route. The extra cost to hire someone to drive a wagon over this route was the merest fraction compared to the cost of a Hakonesia Permit.

Now on their way up that slope, the group kept a watchful eye on their surroundings. It didn't matter that they were the Regeneration Group, from a distance they would look no different to bandits than any other group of travellers. It wasn't that hard going, not on this section at least, and after just half an hour they crested the top of that first slope and were confronted with the profiles of the mountains between them and the Palmacosta Region. The road disappeared among the rocks ahead, promising a hard and dangerous route for them to follow.

Regarding that road, and the obviously ambush aiding terrain, Raine looked concerned.

"Is it really a good idea to be taking Collette though there? Couldn't we take another of the smaller passes?"

Vayla shook her head.

"No, by the time we could hike to one of them we'd be facing getting snowed in before we were even half-way across. Kratos and I can handle any ambush we might encounter, and the footing is certainly going to be a lot better on this path than it would be for any of the narrower ones. We just need to stay alert and keep moving."

The carried on, and it wasn't that much later that they encountered one of the caravans whose tracks they'd seen on the slope. Twenty wagons were parked up on one side of the track, with various people settled around campfires in the fading light.

One of them spotted the group, getting up and waving at them.

"Ho there, Travellers! Be ye friend or foe?"

It was the old traditional greeting, and one with which the group were now very familiar. Smiling brightly, it was Collette who answered.

"We be friends, fellow Traveller! I am Collette Brunel, the Chosen of Regeneration, and these are my companions!"

A chorus of murmurs broke out among the people around the campfires, and soon they had all gathered around the group as Collette showed them her wings to prove she truly was the Chosen. Minutes later found them by the campfires, swapping tales of their travels with these people who as it turned out were one of the larger groups of the Carav'ners.

After swallowing the bite of bread roll he was eating, Genis waved a hand to get the caravan leader's attention.

"Have you heard from Arran, Sarah, David, and Claire? We travelled with them for a while when we were heading for the Ossa's Arm. We helped Claire paint her wagon."

The man, who had been introduced as Tarl, smiled.

"Aye, we did. They stopped in Luin before turning back and heading for Izoold again. Claire and David are still too young for this crossing and Arran didn't want to risk it. As it was they were lucky, they and us left Luin barely a week before it was attacked. We ferried extra supplies to them from Asgard, before heading this way again. The Traveller's District was still trashed when we set off again, but the Craftsman's District and two Residential Districts were pretty much restored. The people of Luin went all out, that's for sure, to get so much done in just a handful of months."

Accepting an offered roll, Raine sighed.

"It's good to know that they're alright, and that things in Luin are going much better. It's been over two months since we left Asgard to head for the Seal of Wind, and we'd heard nothing during that time being so far from the regularly travelled areas."

Tarl took a hefty swig from the mug of soup he held before answering.

"Aye well things are getting better, especially since the Asgard Plains no longer have to worry about the Asgard Ranch. The only Ranch that can threaten them now is the Palmacosta Ranch, and with this pass being the only way north, the chances of them carrying out any major raids are small." He downed the last of his soup. "Well, I'm off to get some shut eye. We'll be leaving as soon as there's light enough to see the trail by, and you're more than welcome to travel with us."

The group smiled their thanks, and following Tarl's example, they too settled down to rest.

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"BANDITS!"

Twenty wagons came to a halt, as bows were brought to bare upon the mob of scruffy men and women that were coming at them from all sides. The ambush was well planned, but centuries of knowledge passed down through the Carav'ner family meant they knew all manner of ways to deal with a raid. Even one of this scale. The bandits to the fore and aft of the caravan were ignored by the bow wielders, as those scrambling down the rocky slopes either side were peppered with arrows. Men and women tumbled screaming after they were hit, the sharp rocks finishing off those that weren't killed outright by the wooden shafts. To the fore and aft the large wagons, like the one that Arran had driven, were quickly manned by people from the nearest of the others, the sides unfolding and opening out to form solid barriers upon which lay an array of previously hidden shafts. At the flick of a lever those shafts, and the ones that were uncovered as the rapidly unhitched oxen were moved to safety, all lifted up to reveal themselves as a spread of steel tipped spears that would be impossible for the bandits to climb over without impaling themselves. That left only gaps to either side, and in seconds they too were filled right up to the rocks either side of the road with yet more spike laden panels braced by the very oxen that had pulled the wagon. With the bandits that had come from the sides now either dead or dying, those to the fore and aft could only mill around in shock at the fortress-like facade that had appeared before them.

Standing up on the driver's seat of the front wagon, Tarl called out to the bandits with a hand raised, while at the rear wagon his wife did like wise.

"You have two choices. Surrender or be brought down by Carav'ner arrows." Bow wielders leapt to the backs of the well trained oxen and pointed their weapons at the bandits. "Hardship and lack of work will have driven many of you to banditry, but if you come with us peacefully we will do what we can to find you a place to begin anew. There is not a city, town, nor village in all of Sylvarant that does not know of the mercy of the Carav'ners, that does not know of at least one man or woman who was led to a second chance by us. Throw down your weapons, and we will do our utmost to get you that second chance." In the moments that followed, just a handful of the bandits dropped their weapons. The rest, either sceptical or not caring in the slightest, made to charge the barricade. Tarl brought his hand down. At that signal, the twang of bowstrings filled the air followed by screams as all but those who had dropped their weapons were killed. In a gesture of trust to the handful remaining, the spiked barriers were folded away and the oxen brought back to be re-hitched to the wagon. Tarl jumped down and walked up to the survivors, stepping over the bodies with nary a glance. "C'mon, let's get you cleaned up while my men clear the road of this mess."

From their place riding on the middle wagon in the caravan, the group watched in awe as in total fifteen surviving bandits were given clean clothes and assigned to a wagon each. Each immediately beginning to be taught by the drivers and passengers about the wagons and how they led the oxen. As soon as the bodies were cleared from the road, and the caravan set off again, Tarl leapt up onto their wagon.

Still stunned by what they had seen, it was Kratos who had found his voice first.

"That was truly remarkable, Tarl. You dealt with the raid, gave them a chance to change, and even now your people are teaching them skills that will help them find work no matter where you put them. Skilled wagon drivers, truly skilled ones, are hard to come by. And ones that are taught by the Carav'ners especially so. Even those you teach in other things, like wagon maintenance and crafting, will find work easily. You told them you'd 'try' to find them a second chance, and yet in fact you've guaranteed them one. Drop them off here and there to spread the load, and they'll settle with no trouble."

Tarl smiled, a sad smile but also a satisfied one.

"Many merchants would kill _all _of the bandits regardless and leave them to rot by the roadside. That's unnecessary blood on their hands no matter how you look at it. We among the Carav'ners believe that to kill only as is necessary, and give those that surrender a chance, is a better than simply slaughtering them all indiscriminately. People these days say that a bandit that attacks a Carav'ner convoy is one that is blessed by the mercy of the Goddess Martel, for only with us would they be shown mercy. The irony is that while all other merchant and trade organisations would never show that kind of mercy themselves, and yet they still admire _us_ for it."

Kratos nodded, glancing at the now cleared bodies as the wagon passed them. The Carav'ners had retrieved all of the still usable arrows from the corpses, practical as ever.

"Yes it is, if only more would stand up and show it themselves. Maybe then the senseless deaths of those so despairing of hope that they turn on others, could be prevented."

With that comment, Tarl left the wagon after giving Kratos a nod and then ran ahead to rejoin the lead one. Left with their thoughts about the swift killing of the bandits and the sparing of those who had surrendered, the group stayed silent for the rest of the day bar one thing said by Lloyd.

"It's just like the First Precept of the Alurannai. 'They who acknowledge their mistakes and attempt to correct them. Can be forgiven even if they fail, for at least they'll have tried.'"

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There was a faint scuff of boot on earth, followed by a firm nudge against his foot. Sitting up in his sleeping bag, Lloyd peered into the darkness outside the entrance of his tent.

"Wha? Ata, why wake me up? It's the middle of the night."

Kratos ducked down, now visible to Lloyd whose eyes had now adjusted to the dark. He had a very special smile on his face, the one that was reserved for special family moments.

"The skies are crystal clear for miles tonight, and I do believe we're very close to a large number of mountains... I made a promise to you long ago, did I not?"

Eyes going wide with joy as he broke into a wide grin, Lloyd scrambled from his tent without even bothering to change out of his nightshirt, launching himself into the air to follow his father up into the sky. Up and up they flew, engaging in aerial tag as they continued to ascend towards the top of the nearest mountain. Reaching it, perching on that very tip, Kratos put an arm around his son's shoulders and began to point out the stars as he named them. And then, after that, he led Lloyd in flying even higher than the mountain top, so high that to look at the stars they seemed so close in the crystal air that you could touch them. Here, so high up that the curve of the horizon could be seen in all directions, so high that to the east and west the oceans were visible on that horizon, Kratos gazed at the stars with his son... Fulfilling that promise from so long ago...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: Aww, fluff moment. I've been waiting to do that end scene for ages.**


	38. If Only We had a Bug Swatter

**Alaia Skyhawk: He he, I loved that scene at Hakonesia. I put 2 of my 'things I wished happened in the game' into that. Kratos scaring the crap out of him, and Collette slapping him. As for this chapter... BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGS!! XD**

**As for the wait, I've been too busy with work to write much unfortunately, but I'm hoping to get back to my old routine of updates soon.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 38: If Only We had a Bug Swatter

-

It almost seemed like an age... an age since they'd parted ways with the Carav'ners they'd briefly travelled with. Leaving the road and the meandering path it cut back and forth across the Palmacostan Plains, instead taking a direct route across country, the group were once again alone and continuing the simple yet repetitive routine they'd followed for so long now. They woke up with the rising of the sun, cooked breakfast for those in the group who needed to eat, and then after taking the time to carefully pack away the camping gear they set off, heading south through grass that was just beginning to turn lush green with new growth. They were south of the equator now, with the warming weather leading to an increasing amount of plants to trudge through. The warmer it was, the longer the grass, and the more it dragged on their legs as they proceeded through it. By the time noon would arrive they would rest for a full hour to eat a light lunch and give everyone's legs a break. Then they would head off once again to complete the day's usual ten hours of walking before stopping and setting up camp for the end of the afternoon and overnight. This routine was what made everything seem so timeless. No matter how many days they walked, it was always the same... bar certain interruptions.

"AHHHHH! What the?!"

Genis stumbled backwards away from the long undulating mass that rose above him like a gelatinous rope that had erupted from the ground, eyes widening as its pointed tip shot towards him and opening up into a maw filled with row after row of sharp teeth. It was knocked aside however by a firm blow from a certain auburn haired swordsman, who upon deflecting it suddenly let out a shriek that defied all perceptions of what was a normal sound for a person to make. A shriek that quickly passed up into a pitch that neither half-elf in the group could hear, though it was clear that Collette could since she was wincing. The sound had an immediate effect on the creature, which let out a sort of wail before surging back into the soil to escape the tormenting screech coming from the alurannai man.

As soon as it was out of sight and the ground still once more, Kratos turned and began to walk on as if nothing had happened.

"Let's keep moving... The longer we stay in this area the more likely it will attack again."

Scrambling past the two huge holes in the ground, Genis began to splutter as they set off again.

"What the heck was that, and how the heck did you make that noise?!"

Kratos glanced sidelong at the boy as he caught up.

"_Lumbricus terrestris giganticus_... In layman's terms a 'giant earthworm'. There aren't that many of them, although they live for upwards of several centuries. Females reproduce perhaps twice in their lives, which is why I simply drove that one, which was female, away. They play an important role in maintaining the fertility of these plains, which would otherwise be a barren wasteland. Normally they would only attack ground dwelling rodents for food, but the unstable mana agitates them." He frowned a little. "They are also borderline sentient, which is another reason I didn't kill it. Unstable and low mana agitates them, but they do not go mad from it like many of the other creatures that you've seen on this journey... As for how I made that sound, that's a perfectly normal sound for an alurannai to be able to make. Our personal identifiers, which we sing out when we arrive at an Alurannai settlement through a sentinel, are right at the very top of our vocal range and are inaudible to all but Protozoans, Summon Spirits, Alurannai, and Crystal Users. We also have a version of our language, called Maityrsi, which is entirely made up of high pitched sounds in that register. As for why the sound drove it off, many sub-surface dwelling creatures abhor high frequencies."

Genis blinked, looking a little bemused, while off to one side Sheena chuckled.

"And the Alurannai strike again with another fact that you guys didn't know about us."

While she and Lloyd ribbed each other in amusement, Raine regarded Kratos with curiosity.

"So you all have an individual call that lets others who recognise it know that you're near. That would be an interesting thing to learn about... It's just a pity I can't hear them..."

As she sighed with disappointment, Vayla suddenly let out an extremely complicated string of whistle-like sounds, stopping to cough after a moment.

"Man it's weird singing that several octaves lower..." She cleared her throat and started again, as a startled half-elven woman looked on. As soon as she reached the end of the three second long sequence, she gave Raine a smile. "That's my identifier, several octaves lower than normal of course." She glanced at her crèche mate. "Kratos?"

The swordsman rolled his eyes and obliged, his sequence seemingly impossible to differentiate from Vayla's, although while it was too complicated for the two siblings and the Chosen to pick out the differences, there _was_ something subtly different about it that they _could_ make out.

Collette tilted her head as she compared them in her mind.

"They sound really pretty, like birdsong." She smiled and looked over at Lloyd and Sheena. "What do yours sound like?"

The two youths looked at each other, while Vayla cleared her throat.

"They don't have one yet, and won't be assigned one until they've reached their first danne. Normally an alurannai child less than that age would never travel about like this."

The blond girl tilted her head looking a little disappointed.

"Oh... Oh well I guess I'll have to wait until after I've become an angel to hear them."

Her bright smile at that point appeared to be genuine, since Genis shook his head at her enthusiasm, but there was a faint hint of regret behind it for those who knew what she was really going through. Once again the Chosen's Cruxis ordained fate was casting a shadow over her life.

--

"O-kay, now this is just weird!"

Buzzing filled the air as the group fought off, of all things, a swarm of _giant ladybirds_. They'd been walking through the long grass when out of nowhere Collette had tripped over something. That something turned out to be one of the aforementioned bugs, which had let out such a shriek of protest at the inadvertent kick it had received that every other one of its kind within a two hundred yard radius had taken flight and proceeded to mob the group.

Swatting one bug out of the air with her staff as her brother sent several tumbling with an air spell, Raine sent it shooting off through the air before brushing her mussed up hair out of her eyes so she could see to aim at the next one.

"Well this certainly isn't something I expected to encounter on this journey."

One of the insects flew at her back, only to be sliced in two by a certain alurannai boy. Having dealt with it, he turned his attention to blasting yet more out of the air with a few well placed lightning bolts.

"We never expected to come across killer teddy bears, but we did anyway!"

In the space of a few minutes the swarm was gone, leaving the group stood in the middle of an ooze covered area of grass with not a single one of them spared a good splattering. Grimacing as they glanced around at each other, it was by a unanimous unspoken agreement that those in the group who could do so call up water spells to douse them all... better to walk in wet clothes than walk the rest of the day covered in bug guts. Now thoroughly drenched, they set off once more, with Collette being especially careful not to trip over anything else in the long grass.

--

"Whoops! ..._Whoa!_"

A hissing croak rose from the grass as Collette was suddenly lifted up on the back of a huge green insect. The next second she was snatched from its back by Mezo who then dropped her behind the nearby Inartu who already had his sword unsheathed.

"Venomous grasshoppers! No one get too close to them, hit them with spells only! If they spit venom at you, dodge it!"

Kratos darted to the side, drawing the attention of the grasshopper that Collette had landed on along with that of the several others that rose from their resting places in the grass to hiss at the group. They were bright green, with golden mottling in places that made them blend into the plains so long as they remained still. They didn't look like grasshoppers so much as they looked like giant wingless preying mantises. Rear legs that once would have been used to leap great distances had shortened to allow short bursts of speed at ground level, wings lost in favour of a slimmer more compact body that blended into the grass better. With their forelegs now armed with a mantis' folding claws and their ability to spit venom, they were extremely dangerous ambush predators that thankfully only dwelt in the less travelled areas of the plains... Not that that was much consolation to the group who at this time were travelling through just such an area.

With little else they could do, Collette and Raine both used their defensive techniques to hold off the blobs of lurid purple goo. Meanwhile those in the group who could use fire spells were using them to great effect on the huge insects... One of which exploded in a blast of mush after it got rather close to Genis and he over reacted when fending it off. As the last of the creatures fell and he stood there dripping slime, he yelled at the top of his voice.

"WHAT'S WITH ALL THE STUPID BUGS! GIANT EARTHWORMS, GIANT LADYBIRDS, AND NOW GIANT BLOODY GRASSHOPPERS!"

The silver haired mage stood there hyperventilating as his best friend backed up a few steps.

"Maybe we should get a giant bug swatter..."

The glare he was pinned with a split second later made everyone think that perhaps it might be a good idea not to mention _that_ idea again... A _very_ good idea...

--

**Alaia Skyhawk: Short I know, but this has always been a short chapter in my plot notes. Basically I thought I'd take the mick out of all the giant bugs you get in the area north of Palmacosta. Oh and for those that are interested, Lumbricus terrestris is an actually type of earthworm.**


	39. Finding Faith

**Alaia Skyhawk: A long wait, I know, but took a breather and also some time to get a few chapters of my Zelda fic up. I've also had the writing bug for the last month on my FIRST ORIGINAL NOVEL! ...Well ok it's not actually my first since I've written a number of stories here and there that to be honest are pretty crap and will never again see the light of day, but this one is the first that I'm going to try and get published (Crosses fingers). Only problem is that it takes me longer to write a chapter for that than for this fanfic, since I have to be a hundred percent perfectionist on it to give myself the best chance of getting myself a literary agent. In other words I spend about 6 hours writing a chapter, and then I spend 12 more checking the thing and editing. (Sighs) Oh well... Anyways, I gave myself an ultimatum this week that I wouldn't be allowed to write any more of my novel until I stopped procrastinating and got a chapter of this up, and so here I am. He he, happy reading :)**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 39: Finding Faith

-

Maota, peaceful sanctuary for the weary pilgrim and traveller; like Nanlia and Aisa, it was a Church Hamlet built around a House of Salvation, though Maota was big enough to be considered more of a town than a hamlet. Built many centuries ago a short distance from a nearby farming village, the two settlements had grown together over time creating a major crossroad for both pilgrimages and trade. The two settlements were still officially separate of course although they shared the same name, with the main road acting as a dividing line between the two. The people of the Church lived on the west side of the road, and all others lived on the east. Into this scene of pastoral cooperation walked the Regeneration Group, the bright yellow and white aeros flying above them having alerted the people of Maota to their approach almost an hour prior. People swarmed to the north side of the settlement, greeted by the warm smile of their Chosen One, she who was the holder of their hopes. Used to this routine now, the rest of the group simply followed along behind her as they gradually made their way to the house of Salvation. By the time they were halfway there though the alurannai members of the group had had enough. A quick mutter about getting everyone's packs settled in rooms at the House of Salvation and all four of them took flight, two protozoans and spirits in the group also beating a quick retreat to the nearby stables, leaving the Chosen in the middle of a jubilant crowd along with Genis and Raine.

The half-elven woman watched them go with a feeling of envy. Right now she wanted to be away from this crowd, away from what these people put their misguided faith in. Here among these people she was being reminded all too much that she no longer believed in the Church of Martel or the Scriptures. She, like the Protozoans, Spirits, and Alurannai knew that beneath it was nothing but lies and false hope. She knew that was why they'd all left Collette among the crowd of believers, they just couldn't stand to watch this if they didn't have to. Here in Maota it was safe enough to leave Collette on her own, for like all Church hamlets this was protected ground that Desians would never attack as part of the Cohabitation Agreement. Here she was safe, and with that in mind Raine decided to make her own excuses and go on ahead as well.

"I'm going to head to the House of Salvation. I need to go through my things and clear out anything that too worn to be worth mending anymore, so I know what I'll need when we visit the local clothier tomorrow. I suggest you two do the same."

In reaction to that statement Genis had plucked at his own rather sorry looking clothing. They'd managed to get him a few shirts and some new trousers while in Asgard, but they hadn't been of particularly hard wearing cloth, and now, nearly four and a half months of cross country travel and rabid animals later, they were in dire need of replacement. The boy had then sighed, before both he and Collette had murmured agreement and Raine had left them to finish the walk to the House of Salvation on their own. Free of the unrelenting sense of worship among all those people, she walked into the building and up the stairs with a sense of relief, though she was careful not to let it show on her face lest one of the priests at the altar in the lower room see it. The common room on the first floor was empty, as were all of the small sleeping rooms as evidenced by the open doors. As was the usual routine the bags of the various members of the group had been left beside doors, and after picking hers up she entered her own room and shut the door behind her.

For the first time since the journey began she tipped the entire contents of her two bags out onto her bed. There lay her secrets box, which she carefully set aside, and various books, many of which were about languages and civilisations long past. Her attention then moved to her clothing, which besides a couple of her trademark orange over coats, which had been thoroughly spelled by Vayla to protect them from physical and magical damage, the rest having had only simple preservation spells on them were now looking rather worn. She needed new pairs of black leggings, and also a number of white blouses to replace those which were beginning to fray in so many places that mending them would hours and leave them looking a mess of patches and buckled fabric from all the repairs. By and time she got rid of them, and so after turning the two least damaged blouses into makeshift bags, she stuffed every other damaged article into them before turning her attention back to what was left on her bed. In truth it wasn't a lot, just a couple of badly worn pairs of shoes, which were dropped beside the bag-blouses, a couple of pairs still usable which were put away, and a few odds and ends that she sorted out and put back into the proper pockets in the packs. That done she did one last thing, and that was put all her books away along with her secrets box... but not before singling one particular book out.

Eyes shadowed, Raine set the book on her lap and opened it, reading aloud the words inscribed on the first page.

"'Once upon a time there was a giant tree, that was the source of mana...' Well that's true. 'A war however caused it to wither away, and a hero's life was sacrificed to take its place. Grieving over the loss, the Goddess left unto the heavens. The Goddess left the angels with this edict. 'You must wake me, for if I should sleep, the world shall be destroyed' And so the angels bore the Chosen One, who journeyed unto the tower, and that marked the beginning of the regeneration of the world.'..." She bowed her head, fingers tightening on the edges of this book. "All of it... lies. Yes there was a giant tree, and the war did make it wither... but the rest... it's nothing but lies!"

Anger welling up inside her, she focused her will on the book and called up a burst of mana. Light enveloped the pages, so intense that like a focused beam of sunlight the spell incinerated the entire book without leaving so much as a speck of ash to show what her now empty hands had held a moment before. She stared at her hands, happy it was gone and yet some part of her deep down cried. She'd put her faith in the words of that book since she was fourteen, and now she'd destroyed it in her anger at the betrayal of that faith. Empty of faith, and of hope, she lifted her hands to her face as the sound of muffled sobs filled the room.

--

The tap on her door came long after the tears had dried on her face, the redness gone from her eyes as she lay on her bed staring blankly at the ceiling. A murmured acknowledgement triggered the opening of the door, and a silver haired head poked around it.

"The priests said that dinner will be served in about an hour, and we haven't visited the chapel yet. Collette and I are going now, if you want to come."

Genis' remarks were innocent; he had no idea of the emotional turmoil she was going through right now. He had no idea what was really going on around him, and for now she didn't want him to know. That left just one thing. She would have to act as she had done in the past. Sitting up, she slid her legs of the side of the bed and got to her feet.

"Alright, you go on ahead with Collette and I'll catch up as soon as I've put my shoes on.

With a smile Genis nodded and vanished out the door, the sound of his footsteps crossing the room beyond fading quieter still once he set off down the stairs. Reluctant, and yet knowing she would have to maintain this facade so as not to hurt Collette, Raine pulled on her shoes and followed them downstairs, stopping at the bottom to watch as the two youths knelt down before the House of Salvation's altar, about to begin praying. After a moment Collette glanced over her shoulder at her, her expression enquiring.

"Professor. Aren't you going to pray with us?"

Raine hesitated, putting on a smile after a moment as her brother also turned to look.

"Actually, I'm feeling a little stiff right now." She then chuckled. "I think if I tried to kneel down right now I'd get stuck. I'll pray later, before I go to bed. Right now though I think I'll take a slow walk outside to try and ease my legs out after that nap I had."

Collette smiled understandingly.

"I'm sorry. I don't get stiff anymore, so I keep forgetting that other people do."

Raine shook her head with another chuckle.

"There's no need to apologise, Collette, it's easily done. You and Genis pray. There's no need to worry about me."

She turned and walked out, as Collette and Genis shrugged and resumed their prayers before the altar. Once outside the smile faded and all of a sudden she just wanted to run away... Run away from the lies and the need for her to lie as well to those close to her. Hearing Collette pray while they were out in the wilds was one thing, but to see her and Genis kneel before a statue of an angel and pray to a woman who they didn't know wasn't a goddess was too much right now. Out on the road she'd been able to forget, but here in Maota she was reminded constantly that there was a gaping hole in her life now... She had nothing to put her faith in. The 'Goddess Martel' was a distant figure to which she had been able speak her fears and ask for aid in prayers, even though she knew deep down she wouldn't get it. But now she didn't have that... Never had she felt so alone.

She walked out into the fields around the hamlet, not heading anywhere in particular, just wanting to get away from the atmosphere of 'church' that permiated the settlement. She hadn't gone that far though when a voice stopped her.

"Proffessor Raine, if you want some company, you can sit with Ata, Vayla, Sheena, and I over in those trees." She turned to find Lloyd behind her, pointing at a cluster of trees a short way away. "We don't like seeing Collette pray to... Well, we tend to go off when she does at a church. Knowing what we know, it's uncomfortable to watch... So, would you like to sit with us?"

Seeing the concern for her in his eyes, she gave a small nod and a tiny grateful smile. Sitting with people who understood what she was feeling right now would be a relief. She followed him into the cluster of trees, finding the other three alurannai in the group sat there in the dappled sunlight beneath the branches. Nothing was said as Vayla produced a basket of small sweet rolls from her ver and passed them around, everyone just sitting in companionable silence as they ate the snacks. It was a little while later, once the rolls were gone, that Kratos got up.

"I'm about to recite the _darshensi_ if anyone wants to join me." He glanced at Raine. "You'll probably find this interesting, since you've shown a lot of curiosity about Alurannai traditions before now."

Raine watched puzzled, as the other three alurannai nodded, got up, and then in unison they all reached out with their right hands and began to sketch the symbols of the elements as they faced each compass point going clockwise.

"Shadow, keeper of the inner darkness, show us what lies in the heart so that we may overcome it. Efreet, giver of courage, keep us strong through times of hardship. Gnome, servant of the earth, let the land be kind along our passage. Volt, one who teaches faith and trust, let that which you teach hold us together. Luna and Aska, keepers of truth, let our song sing pure the intentions within. Celsius, maiden of frost, let us see clear like the crystal ice that which we need to make it through. The Sylph, wind's daughters, let us face our doubts and hold true to our purpose. Undine, walker in the mist, let us have the determination to follow this path no matter how difficult." They then faced each other. "Maxwell, guardian of the new born, may the birth of a new time come. Origin, Master of Creation, watch over us as we await the Restored World. Dallinius, let Unity be our greatest strength in the times to come. Verius, let our hearts remain open to all others regardless of what differences there may be between us. Krishka, may the breath of new life flow over the lands, and the Giant Tree live again in our future."

Raine watched as they then broke into smiles and gave each other a brief hug as if reaffirming the bonds of friendship and extended family between them. After a moment she spoke.

"I thought the Alurannai didn't have a religion... That sounded like a prayer."

Vayla regarded her.

"We don't. To say someone follows a religion is to imply they worship something. What we have is a way of life. A life where we _respect_ the Forces and the Spirits that govern them, but we don't worship them. That blessing of sorts we just recited is our way of showing that respect in a simple yet clear way. Its very name means 'Respect'. We do not pray to them, for the things that the blessing 'asks' of the Spirits are things they do for an individual anyway if the person in question but asks them to. Each of the eight Greater Spirits teach an aspect. The trials they had Summoners face in the past in order to earn the right to attempt a pact, each one tests and teaches the aspect the spirit most associates their Force with. As for the five at the end, they are the leaders of the Summon Spirits. Though two of those names you will never have heard before. Dallinius and Verius have remained hidden by their own will from all but the Offspring Races for countless millennia, but they've decided to come forward and reveal themselves soon, thus the reason we didn't omit them from the blessing while you were present. They are the Summon Spirits of Unity and Heart, in case you're wondering."

Raine looked thoughtful.

"A life where respect is given, but not worship... and yet you still have someone you can speak to of worries and such, and who you can ask to teach you if you feel you need it... I can't imagine how reassuring that must be... And there are five leaders? I thought Origin was the leader of the summon spirits..."

Lloyd and Sheena, who had sat themselves down again, faced the half-elven woman with expressions of faint amusement as the former spoke.

"Actually Krishka is. He's the First Sumara Lord, Verius is Second, Dallinius is Third, Origin is Fourth, and Maxwell is Fifth. Back in the beginning, Lord Krishka didn't want people to know the Summon Spirit of Life was the leader of all the Summon Spirits, Verius and Dallinius wanted to keep their heads down, and so Origin as the next highest after them offered to be a stand in." He then turned to his father. "Hey, Ata, can we introduce Raine to Dallinius? I don't think he'd mind."

Kratos mulled this over, and then nodded.

"Yes, I shouldn't think he'll mind. In fact he'll probably find it quite amusing."

He then took up a casting stance, much to Raine's surprise.

"Wait, you have a pact with him?"

Kratos didn't answer.

"I call upon the Centre of the Balance. That which binds all as one. I Summon Thee... Come Dallinius!"

There was a soft flare of light, and then suddenly a huge white wolf, with a double ring of crystals hovering around his neck appeared facing the Inartu with his back to Raine... And also with a stick in his mouth.

Mumbling around the stick, he grumbled.

"What's so important you did a formal summoning? I was just starting to play fetch with Collette and Genis."

As Raine blinked, Kratos cleared his throat and pointed at her, causing Dallinius to turn and see her.

"I was going to formally introduce you as 'Dallinius'... but you've just made my effort to keep you and 'Dalli' separate rather pointless..."

The wolf's jaw went limp, the stick dropping from it.

"Oops..." He then proceeded to look anywhere but at the silver haired woman. "Umm, hi Raine... Man this is so embarrassing. Yeah, I'm 'Dalli'. I have two forms, a lesser and a greater one, though I only regained enough of my power to take on this form again back when we were in Asgard. Since the races are beginning to trust one another again, the 'unity' between them is growing, and thus the power I lost when the Kharlan War forced the races apart is returning. I've spent the better part of five thousand years as a lesser spirit, so a lot of things from that have stuck... like playing fetch."

He laughed a little, very uncomfortable with the strange look he was getting from Raine.

In the end she too began to laugh.

"We've spent the past few months travelling around with one of the leaders of the summon spirits? A leader that has been helping us rather than sitting off in some distance place all high and mighty like the angels... It's no wonder the Alurannai respect the spirits. If they're all like you, then it would be hard not to. It's a pleasure to be introduced to you Dallinius... and if you want to play fetch feel free to ask me any time." The wolf gawked at her, shocked that she had just made a joke about all this, as everyone else present burst into laughter. Recovering from his shock, he changed into his lesser form and leapt up to snuggle on her lap. Petting him, all of a sudden she didn't feel alone anymore. "This stuff about respecting the Forces and the Spirits... Do you think I could learn about it?"

The alurannai gathered round her, Vayla putting a hand on Raine's arm.

"If that's what you want, Raine, we'd be happy to."

--

**Alaia Skyhawk: And Raine finds something new to believe in, now that she knows the Scriptures are a lie. I loved embarrassing Dallinius in that one. I've been trying to find a place to have him appear in his greater form randomly holding a stick for ages.**

**As for Darshensi. Darshen means respect, adding the 'si' raises it to the formal. The formal version is the term the Alurannai also use as the name for the little ritual by capitalising the first letter to make it a name rather than an action/concept.**


	40. Remembering the Past

**Alaia Skyhawk: Here's another one :)**

**Also I have my own website set up now, complete with the first chapter of my novel as a preview. I'd really appreciate it if any of you would take the time to read it and leave a message telling me what you think of it in the guestbook. Getting a literary agent can be a nightmare and the more 'public feedback' I have for my first book the greater the chance my book will catch an agent's eye and I can get it published and into the bookshops. The site also has info on the characters in the book, along with artwork of each, and also several other pictures including a map of the lands its set in and a nice sinister picture of one of the 'Horde'. To get to my website click the 'homepage' link at the top of my profile.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 40: Remembering the Past

-

"So for the eight Greater Summon Spirits each pair acts like two sides of a scale that are dependent on each other, and for the Sumara Lords each maintains the balance of their power on their own? I never realised that before."

Raine sat beside the alurannai woman, the two of them some distance from the camp on the banks of a stream having volunteered to wash the plates and cooking equipment before it got too dark. It had been a convenient excuse, and one which bought the half-elven woman some time to learn more about what the Alurannai called the 'Life of the Forces', the way of life that she herself had now converted to. The past two weeks had seen her confidence grow, the sense of being alone that had haunted her, after learning that the Goddess Martel was a lie, having vanished during that time. There was still a great deal she didn't know about the new ways she'd begun to follow, with time to teach her being scarce due to hiding her conversion from Genis and Collette, but she was learning in every few moments she could grab here and there. Vayla had helped a lot with that, and Dalli too, with him answering Raine's questions for a short while each night in the privacy of her tent with a sound ward to prevent accidental eavesdropping. The rest of the time it was usually Vayla who managed to find a quiet moment to teach her, with Kratos helping out now and then. Now was one of those times when Vayla was able to buy some time, and Raine had wasted none of it.

Smiling at the half-elven woman, Vayla then turned her attention back to scrubbing the cooking pot as she replied.

"Yes, and that's why there are elementals at the Temples now. The elementals are the physical manifestations of the mana that was originally at the opposing Temple of their element, there to maintain balance. When the tidal system began after the Tree's death that mana was forced back to its temple of origin, where it combined a few years later with the rage of the Summon Spirits when Yggdrasil betrayed them. Since then the Summon Spirits have had to expend excess mana every year to keep their powers stable. Luna and Aska use theirs to create the shooting stars that warn of the coming of the spring storms in Triet Desert; those wind storms being the way in which the Sylph expend theirs. Efreet has a number of volcanoes far out to sea where he expends his, and Undine created a number of extra geysers on her island."

Raine set aside another plate, reaching for the next one as she mulled over what Vayla had said.

"And what about the Greater Spirits in Tethe'alla? What do they do?"

Her part of the washing done, the alurannai woman got herself more comfortable, propping her legs out in front of her.

"Shadow extended the darkness of the deepest part of his temple to fill it completely, since dim light used to filter into the upper level. Volt creates near constant lighting storms around his temple. Gnome uses his up with random earthquakes on a small island far from the inhabited areas, and Celsius uses hers to freeze the surface of the sea around Flanoir at certain times of year, letting it thaw by breaking the ice off so it drifts off on the ocean currents and melts once out of her area of influence." She sighed. "Things have been so screwed up since the death of the Giant Tree. By Alurannai standards it wasn't all that long back that most of the people lived the Life of the Forces, a life respecting nature and in return for that respect gaining from nature a peaceful and happy existence. It's only been about ten of our generations, twenty-five thousand years or so, since those that followed it became so scarce. Fewer and fewer people looked to the Spirits for guidance and advice, and more and more began to yearn after power and become jealous of those that had it. The day when the old ways became forgotten in the Human Nations was when things really began going down hill as far as relations between them are concerned. I just hope that once the Prophecy of Restoration is fulfilled the Offspring Races can bring the people back to the old ways, the ways that encourage the people to understand and work alongside each other regardless of differences between them. I think that's what we all hope."

Raine finished off the last of her items, setting them aside before sitting beside the ebon haired woman.

"After hearing about those lost times, I hope so too. To think that long ago all people and races accepted each other, and helped each other, and it's only now that in some ways they're regaining that. Half-elves are finally starting to become accepted again, the Dwarves come out more often than they used to, and I think if the Elves came forward they'd probably be as well given a little time. I look forward to when the Prophecy comes true, and Cruxis and the Desians are gone. I just hope I live long enough to see it."

Vayla sighed, once again wishing she could tell the elven woman more, but the risks were too great, she would have to remain quiet about Lloyd and Sheena for now.

"We can't really put a time frame on it, so it could go either way. We just have to be patient and believe." She turned her head, regarding her silver haired friend, chuckling. "I had that lesson drummed into me a great deal when I was young. I always was the impatient one in my crèche group."

The half-elven woman listened intently; as Vayla went on to tell her stories of youth.

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"Vayla Kevrania..."

The ebon haired eight year old froze in her tracks, wincing at hearing the precise tone of voice that told her she was in trouble. The alurannai woman who taught her crèche group never shouted at any of them if they misbehaved, she didn't need to, not when she could convey a dread inducing warning with nothing more than a whisper. Vayla had been hearing that tone quite often the past few weeks, so much so that she was sure as to the exact degree how much trouble she was in. Turning and facing her teacher, she hunched her shoulders and pinned her eyes on the ground.

"Sorry, Armaia. I just wanted to get the tower finished..."

Armaia shook her head, sighing as she pointed to the other five youths who were also present. Each of them was holding a piece of tower that they had taken from their assigned pile at the edge of the clearing.

"You've already used your lower tower pieces, Vayla. If you had put the piece you're holding into the structure, it would block the others from putting theirs into place. That would _slow_ the building of the tower, not speed it up. This is an exercise of _teamwork_, so work together with your crèche mates and wait until it's the right time to use your next piece. Be patient."

The little girl did as she was told, standing and watching with increasing frustration as the rest of her crèche added to the wooden structure in the clearing's centre. When she finally saw it was time for her piece, she darted forward and put it in place before sprinting back to her pile to get another. Throughout this Armaia watched with resignation, a small shake of the head the only indication she gave as to her thoughts about the girl's rushing. Again Vayla found herself having to wait, and again as soon as the time came for her piece she darted in. This time however she spotted that the next piece to go in would be one of the ones she'd seen in her pile, but instead of walking over as the others had done in that situation, she ran, returning to the tower carrying the next piece at breakneck speed. The result was inevitable, as she tripped over the end of the piece and ploughed into the wooden structure, knocking the whole thing down.

"Oww..."

Moments later, as she sat there groaning while her crèche mates looked on, a firm hand grabbed her by the ankle and dragged her out from among the pieces. She was then unceremoniously carried off up into the trees by Armaia, who called back to those still on the ground.

"Sort out the pieces and rebuild it up to the point you were at. We can continue as soon as I get back." She let out an exasperated sigh, giving the cowering girl in her grip a long look. "And you, young lady, are suspended from activities with your crèche group for a full week. During that time you will remain in my apartments under the supervision of Dailu for the duration of each day's lessons. Spirits know I've tried to teach you patience, but now it seems you'll have to learn it the hard way."

The next few minutes were spent in silence, until they arrived at the teacher's home and Vayla was placed under the watchful eye of the woman's sprit partner. Dailu resembled an ordinary otter, but for the bright green stripe that ran the length of his body from nose to tail tip. He was also inordinately quick for such a small creature, and would have no trouble keeping the little girl in check. Left alone in the empty apartment but for the spirit who settled down to watch her, Vayla huddled in the middle of the floor in lonely silence, accepting her punishment for repeatedly disrupting her crèche's lessons.

"Patience, patience, patience... I'm _trying_, but it's just so hard..."

"So it seems the infamous Vayla has been given detention... Well if you're going to be here for the rest of the day you may as well help me with my work." She leapt to her feet, turning to see a man wearing a green reta standing the nearby doorway. He smiled. "I'm Hiruan, Armaia's husband. I've some medicines to mix, would you like to help?"

The eight year old stood there, shoulders hunched as she began scuffing a foot on the floor.

"But what if I mess something up?"

He walked over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder and guiding her towards a neat work area in the corner of the room after signalling to the watching spirit that he should go occupy himself. As for the work area, it was right beside the doors of a large balcony, a balcony that was filled with a mass of potted herbs and plants of all types.

"It's no problem if you chop something up wrong, since it's easy enough for me to encourage my plants to grow more. Now let's find you a stool to stand on." He proceeded to rummage through the contents of her ver, eventually producing a stool and setting it on the floor. "Now, there's been a breakout of a common minor illness these past few days, I'm sure you've heard you parents talking about Mast Itch, so we need quite a bit of the liniment that eases the rash caused by it. For the basic ointment that makes the base of the liniment we need filtered marl oil, distilled water, and a binding agent." He put a book in front of her and turned it to a page with a list of binding agents. "Which of these do you think would be best to make the base for our anti rash liniment? Don't worry if you get it wrong, I'd just like to see what you think would work."

Vayla peered at the page, reading each description and looking at the illustrations that went with them. After a few minutes she replied hesitantly.

"I'd use a mix of Yarilon, Nerse, and Ithrit."

Hiruan smiled, patting her on the shoulder.

"Actually we only need one, and that's Uthse. We use that one for anti itch salves because..."

"But it only acts as a soother, whereas it says here that Yarilon, while harsh on the skin due to being strongly alkaline, reduces swelling. Nerse does little, but is acid and so would counter the harshness of the Yarilon. Lastly I remember my inmyrta saying that Ithrit prepared as a paste contains releases an oil that is very gentle on the skin... She made my myrta use it on me when I was little to treat nappy rash. My myrta keeps telling her friends now that she swears by it..."

Vayla hunched her shoulders again, peering at the man beside her in anticipation of a reprimand for interrupting him. Instead he regarded her speculatively for a few moments before speaking.

"And what proportions of those herbs would you use in relation to each other?"

Nervously Vayla consulted the book again, reading the sections about the how strong an acid or alkaline the relevant herbs were.

"Um... four parts Yarilon, two parts Nerse, and ten parts Ithrit..."

He immediately walked out onto the balcony, returning a few times and going out again until he had brought four pots inside with him. Setting three of them in front of her, he passed her a knife and cutting board, along with a mortar and pestle and a large mixing bowl. He then placed bottles of marl oil and distilled water within easy reach.

"I'll make a batch using Uthse while you make a batch using your mix. I'll show you the last ingredient once you've made your base."

He began to pick and chop his own herb while Vayla stared at him for a moment. He trusted her with his plants and tools to mix something all on her own? Turning her attention back to what he'd put in front of her, she hesitantly picked up the knife and chopping board, setting them ready before picking a number of the Ithrit leaves. She'd start with what she'd seen prepared before. Over the half an hour she carefully mixed her three herb pastes together, before blending in the oil and then lastly the water until her mixing bowl held quite a large quantity of pale green-yellow ointment. The next second she flinched as a small bowl filled with yellow powder was suddenly held out in front of her face.

"Wha?!"

She grabbed the edge of the worktop to stop herself falling backwards off the stool, being steadied by Hiruan's other, empty, hand while he set the small bowl next to her large one.

"Steady there... All you need to do now is mix that powder in. It's a mix of mineral salts and powdered Cathla. Once you've mixed in it so it's evenly distributed I'll help you put your liniment into jars to handed out to those that need them."

The little girl goggled at him, hand held suspended in mid reach towards the small bowl.

"But... But what if my mix doesn't work?"

Again he patted her on the shoulder, before pushing up his sleeves to reveal skin covered in a mottled rash.

"I'll be testing it first since I had you follow your intuition, so don't worry. I know that there's nothing in there that will have an adverse reaction with the other ingredients, so when I try it the salve with either work or it won't. Now mix that powder in."

"...Ok..."

Biting her lip with sheer nerves she did as she was told, she stirred the contents of the bowl thoroughly until it was an even golden colour. At this point a spoon slipped across in front of her and dipped into the bowl. Taking a lump of the salve from the spoon, Hiruan spread it over his rash covered arm. He then took some salve from his bowl and spread it over his other arm... He was actually comparing her mix against his own! The result was immediately noticeable... The arm with his mix became a little less reddened, but not much else happened to the rash. With her mix however the rash was visibly going down, the redness fading almost completely.

He looked up at her and grinned.

"Very nice work, Vayla. I'll be using your mix from now on, and I'll be sure to pass the recipe on to be written down in the Healer Hall records, crediting you with coming up with it of course." He lifted her down from the stool, guiding her over to a couch in the sitting area of the living room and settling her down on it. Sitting down beside her, he smiled again. "You seem to have a natural talent for medicine, Vayla. I know you're still a bit young to be thinking about matters like this, but what would you think about being tutored in medicines by me, and then healing arts as well once you reach adolescence? I know you're impatient when you're being schooled with your crèche, but just now while making that liniment you showed a level of care and patience that would put some healers to shame, despite your nervousness. I think all you need is to have something you can work on that requires patience, that you're also good at, and you'll find you'll be able to stop feeling the need to rush so much no matter what you're doing... So what do you think?"

The little girl sat there in stunned silence, before finally a wide grin spread across her face.

"I'd love to!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him back towards the work area. "You said that a lot of people were getting that rash, and that means that lots of people need that salve. We need to make some more, there's nowhere near enough in my bowl for everyone!"

Hiruan laughed as he allowed himself to be towed, and it was a happily chatting pair, stood amid several wooden crates filled with jars of salve, that greeted a startled teacher a few hours later...

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Vayla sighed, leaning back to lie flat on the grassy bank.

"That's how I met my mentor, Hiruan, and how I discovered my love of healing and making medicines. Armaia couldn't believe the change in me after that day, and neither could my crèche mates for a while. 'Very fast Vayla' disappeared, replaced by a much more careful girl who would instead race off every afternoon as soon as her lessons were finished so that she could learn more about medicine. By the time I reached adolescence just before my nineteenth birthday, I had already enrolled in lessons four afternoons every week at the Healer Halls, and also managed to improve almost two dozen different medicine blends. Most alurannai don't pick their apprenticeship until their second danne, spending the time before that trying several different things before making their final choice once reaching that age. Since I picked right away I basically had two hundred years head start on the other apprentices. By the time I left Aluran with Kratos, at the age of four-hundred and thirteen, I'd already graduated as an adept. It was just as well given the workout my knowledge and healing skills got during the war. It wasn't until after the war ended that I settled back into my studies under Hiruan, eventually graduating as a Journeyman and then finally the rank of Master Healer. Even with the near thousand years I'd lost by travelling about during the war, I still reached that rank in far less time than the norm. A 'healing protégé' everyone called me, a talent that comes along once in fifty generations..."

Raine lay back as well, staring up at the sky as she turned her mind to memories of her own.

"My mother's a healer... I learnt my first healing spell from her. She was always gathering herbs and hanging them in bunches from the porch eaves to dry, and from the rafters inside the house as well. I used to love helping her tie them, passing them to her as she hung them since I was too little to reach that high... That and sitting in my father's lap as he told me stories on rainy days when it was too wet to go outside... I wish Genis could have known that life, but it was just after he was born that things turned bad. Sure he's happy with the life he's had in Iselia, and on the road since then, but I still wish he could have had at least some time with our parents. Long enough for him to at least be able to remember them."

Vayla got up, pulling Raine up after her.

"We'll find them, Raine, I promise. Be they alive or dead the Alurannai will find them, so at the very least you'll know what happened to them."

The two women gathered up the cooking gear, and returned to the nearby camp in companionable silence.

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**Alaia Skyhawk: I bit of back story for Vayla there. I hope you liked it, and I hope that those who take a look at my site like the preview I've posted. Happy Reading :D**


	41. Seaport Capital

**Alaia Skyhawk: And another. I'll just point out in advance that Kilia does not appear in this chapter, nor is she present when the group meet Dorr. I left her out since there's no way her disguise would fool Kratos and Vayla. She's still in the next chapter tho.**

**(Bangs head off table) I can't believe I replaced my feedback form prog on my guest book page with my 'broken' one when I updated it. Apologies to those that tried to use it on Tuesday and got the 'page not found' error. I've fixed the form program and the guest book is now working as it should be. **

**Many thanks to those who have put comments up since I fixed it.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

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41: Seaport Capital

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"Race you to the gates!"

The adults in the group watched with amusement as the four youths sprinted towards the simple stone arch at the crest of the hill ahead of them. It had been a long trip for them since the group had left Asgard and gone to the Seal of Wind, and bar the brief stop in Maota eight weeks back they'd spent the rest out on the road. Six and a half months out in the wilds with nothing to do but walk each day and try to amuse themselves each evening would be enough to drive many teenagers stir crazy, but Lloyd, Sheena, Genis, and Collette had taken it mostly in their stride, with only shows of exuberance like this one to show just how glad they were to arrive at a place where there would be new things to do and see.

Chuckling as the quartet was followed by the group's two spirits, Kratos smiled.

"It's been over seventeen years since I last set foot in this area. It should be interesting to meet the current Governor General, since I knew and helped out his father at that time. Dorr was twenty-three back then, and studying at the Palmacosta Academy, so I never actually got the chance to meet him."

Turning to look at her friend, Raine gave her a small nudge with her elbow.

"Have you ever been here before?"

Vayla laughed outright.

"Dozens of times! There wasn't a decade that went by during the Kharlan War where we didn't stop by here at several times, and I've visited at least once a century in the years since the war ended. Kratos and I know a lot of good places to see in this city, and we also know which inns won't object to Noishe and Mezo staying in our rooms." She grinned at Raine's startled expression. "Yup, no messing around with renting a stall for them at one of the local stables, we'll just settle them in the rooms that our racing youngsters will be using."

She pointed ahead to where said youngsters were stood beneath the stone arch, but moments later her expression turned to a frown as Lloyd turned and shouted to them.

"Something's wrong down there! There's no one in the streets, and the road between here and the city looks like a lot of people went down there not that long ago!"

Glancing at each other with worried expressions, the three adults and the two Protozoans raced to where Lloyd and the others were standing. Looking down at the city it was clear the boy was right. Something was seriously wrong. The road was a mess, certain marks upon its surface telling the experienced eyes of Kratos and Vayla just what had come this way.

Drawing his sword, the alurannai man broke into a run towards the city.

"Desians! This doesn't appear to be a raid, so if anything is happening it's sure to be in the main square!"

Wordlessly the rest of them readied their own weapons and followed him, happy expressions from a moment before replaced with tense determination. Whatever was going on they were going to stop it.

The streets seemed almost lifeless, only occasional hastily closing shutters showing that anyone was in the city at all. Stalls along the main road had been trashed, goods scattered across the paved ground and trampled. Unerringly Kratos was leading them, avoiding the long looping path of the main street and taking them on short cuts through various back alleys wherever he could. These narrow paths seemed even more eerie to those in the group unused to situations like this one. The four children and Raine had never experienced war, and yet right now Palmacosta felt like a city under siege. Finally, after what seemed like an age of running, the group emerged onto a huge paved plaza that was scattered with huddled groups of frightened people held in position by the spears of the Desians whose number dominated the centre of the great square.

Sliding up behind one of the few people at the square's edge that were not being watched by guards, Vayla spoke to them in a furtive whisper.

"What's going on? Why are they here?"

One old man, eyes wide with fear, answered barely loud enough to be heard.

"One of the shop owners, from near the edge of the city, got on the bad side of the Desians. One of their patrols came into the city to buy supplies, but offered a price that was far too low. She refused to sell to them, and now they've come back with their leader to execute her for her defiance."

Gasps of shock came from the throats of the youngest members of the group. Kratos however seemed to go as still as a statue, his demeanour settling into an aura of commanding confidence as he suddenly strode towards the centre of the square.

"We'll see about that..."

The rest of the group scrambled after him, with Vayla having an idea of what Kratos was about to do. Some of the Desians guarding the bystanders tried to stop his advance, but with seemingly no effort at all he sent them flying to crash down onto the stone pavement in groaning heaps. He was angry, though from his calm expression you would never have known it. The commotion caught the attention of the group he was heading towards, a brown haired woman ceasing her struggling in amazement as the man leading this invasion of sorts let out a growl of rage when he spotted the approaching swordsman.

Magnius clenched his hand on the haft of his axe, eyes filled with hatred as he glared at Kratos.

"You!"

He took a step forward, his axe just starting to slip from its position across his back before he froze in his tracks when the alurannai man spoke.

Stopping to stand in one place, Kratos folded his arms across his chest and regarded the Cardinal steadily.

"You know as well as I do, Magnius, that the Palmacosta Ranch has already taken or killed eight hundred people from his city this year... Kill her and you will be violating the Quota Agreement that was made on behalf of Palmacosta's government by the previous Governor General. An agreement that I myself organised and negotiated if you care to remember... Or have you forgotten what I will do if you break it? Kill her, and I will make good on my threat... And you will be left with having to explain the new situation to that charming green-haired lady we both know." His eyes narrowed, as the people of the city around him stared at him in shock. "What will it be, Magnius?"

The Cardinal was livid, the haft of his axe held with a white-knuckle grip before he let go of it. On the point of screaming with rage, he turned and snarled at his troops.

"Let her go! We're leaving! ...And make sure you harm no one!"

One by one the confused Desian troops did as they were told and gathered together in the square's centre, and it was one extremely angry Cardinal who triggered the teleportation device that removed them all and himself from the city.

Looking around at the now empty section of square once they'd vanished, Kratos then walked over to the rather stunned woman who sat on the ground where her captors had dumped her. Reaching out with a hand, he pulled her to her feet.

"They won't be back until after the turning of the new year. This city and its people are safe until then."

At that moment a young woman raced into view from the direction of the Martel Cathedral, which was on the square's southern edge, an expression of relief etched onto her face.

"Mom!" The woman slipped from Kratos' grasp, pulling the young woman close as she reached her and held tight. "The priests wouldn't let me out of the cathedral because the Desians were out here. I couldn't come help you!" There were tears running down her face as she let go of her mother and regarded Kratos and the rest of the group that had come up behind him. "Thank you so much for saving my mom! If I lost her to the Desians like Dad and Grandma I don't know what I would have done."

Vayla came forward, keeping a rather baffled Raine behind her.

"It's no problem. The Desians are no friends of our, and baiting Magnius until he's on the point of having a temper tantrum appears to be becoming one of Kratos' hobbies."

A bout of giggles erupted from all but Vayla and Raine, Kratos turning his head and pinning his errant son and his friends with an annoyed look.

"It's not something to laugh about... I merely pressured him into backing down in the way I knew would be most effective."

Vayla began to rib him, causing him to regard her with an indignant expression.

"And the 'charming green-haired lady' reference, which is your sarcastic nickname for the leader of the Grand Cardinals, wasn't an indication that you were enjoying baiting him? Mind at least that nickname isn't as bad as the one you have for the certain blond who holds _her_ leash."

The crowd were dispersing, the conversation among the group too quite to be made out without obviously eavesdropping. As the empty space around the group grew, Raine frowned.

"There's someone higher ranked in the Desians than the Cardinals?"

Vayla nodded.

"Yeah, there is, and it's not exactly a big secret either. You'll hear Desians shouting 'glory to Lord Yggdrasil' all the time if you listen for it. Kratos' personal nickname for the man is 'schi'..!"

A hand was clamped firmly over her mouth, courtesy of a certain Inartu.

"That's enough, Vayla. Playtime is over, and we need to go see the Governor General to let him know that the Desians will definitely leave the city alone until after the midwinter festival."

Reality returned with a thud, the young woman beside them bringing a hand to her mouth in horror.

"Oh! I have to go! The pilgrims will all be waiting for me! Thanks again for saving my mom, bye!"

She ran off, heading in the direction of the road out of the city. Watching her go, the woman they'd saved then turned to look at the group.

"I too give you my thanks. My name is Cacao, and that was my daughter, Chocolat. She's one of the guides that lead pilgrim from here to Asgard and back again. She's only just been hired, and this will be her first trip as an official guide after passing her test trip last year."

Genis began to splutter.

"People are going on pilgrimages after what just happened here? What if the Desians attack the convoy?"

He stopped, as his sister put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's precisely _because_ of events like the one we just saw that people feel the need to journey in search of salvation. It could be said that Collette is on something of a pilgrimage herself, journeying across all of Sylvarant from one Seal to another to bring salvation to the world and seal away the Desians. You haven't once questioned her doing it, so why question others?"

It took all her control not to wince as she said it, but it was what he needed to hear. Heaving a sigh as he accepted her words, neither of them noticed the look of shock on Cacao's face.

"Y-you're the Chosen's group?"

They all turned to face her, Collette rushing forward, flushed with embarrassment at her forgetting just why she was here.

"Oh I'm sorry for not introducing myself! I'm Collette, and I'm glad we could help you Cacao." She faced the others. "I'd better go to the cathedral and let the priests know I'm here. Could you meet me there after you go see the Governor General?." The nods she got from Kratos and Vayla were all she needed before she took off like a shot. "It was nice meeting you, Cacao!"

Watching her charge across the square and disappear inside the grand stone cathedral that lay in that direction, Sheena shook her head in amazement.

"Do my eyes deceive me, or did she just run a hundred yards over irregular paving and not trip even once?"

Lloyd laughed.

"You saw it alright."

Vayla rolled her eyes.

"And ignoring the antics of the younger members of our group, I too say it was nice meeting you, Cacao."

The brown haired woman, thrown off by her sudden introduction to the bearer of Sylvarant's hopes, shook her head to clear it before speaking.

"Thank you... Well I'm sure you'll be needing supplies before you leave Palmacosta, so I would like to offer you a discount at my family's shop as thanks for saving my life. And before you try to refuse, I insist on it. Think of it as my way of contributing to the regeneration of Sylvarant. The shop is called 'Marble's', and it's on Catharine Street just off the main road into the city."

The members of the group who had started off the journey back in Iselia all gawked in shock before Genis managed to croak.

"You're Marble's daughter? The one she said was living in Palmacosta along with her granddaughter, running the family shop?"

Cacao gasped, a hand covering her mouth in surprise.

"You've met my mother? She's alive?"

Vayla reached out, putting a hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Yes. She was turned into an exbelua but I was able to save her using healing arts after the Desian's dumped her. Right now she's living in one of the Safe Towns that the Alurannai set up for Ranch escapees. I promised her that, as soon as the Desians were gone from Sylvarant, I would bring her here to find her family."

Cacao looked in the direction her daughter had gone.

"And to think Chocolat left before she could hear this. I guess I'll just have to tell her when she gets back from Asgard eight months from now." She glanced at the group. "Oh don't worry about getting the message to her. If my mother is safe as you say she is, then a few months won't hurt. Chocolat may get a little annoyed at me when she gets back and finds out, but she'll forgive me. Well I guess I'd best be going myself. Those Desians left my shop something of a mess when they dragged me out of it. I'll see you again when you come by to get supplies for your journey."

With that she walked away, leaving a number of happy and yet bemused people behind her.

Lloyd just grinned.

"Collette's going to be please when she finds out that we actually saved Marble's daughter. So are we going to go speak to the Governor General now?"

The second comment was directed at his father, who simply shrugged and walked towards an imposing stone building on the east side of the square. They had only walked about half way though when group that had just come out of the building tried to barge right through the middle of their group rather than politely going around.

"Move out of the way! We have a lot of important work to do to save the world!"

That came from the new group's apparent leader, a young man with red hair. He was accompanied by a blond girl dressed in white, along with another young man who looked as though he might be a brother, and a silver haired woman dressed as a mage. What really gave the game away though were the pieces of Ground Ivy that had been rather cleverly stuck to the sides of the red head and his brother's faces, without any sign of glue, and which also stuck out of their tunics at the shoulders and elbows. All in all it wasn't a bad attempt, but would only fool someone who had never actually met one of the Alurannai. As it was all of the alurannai in the group, bar Sheena who was stood at the back out of view, had their sarren retracted, which meant that minus their white clad Chosen, and the Spirits and Protozoans that had waited at the edge of town to reduce the chances that their distinctive appearances would compromise the rest of the group's stealthy dash through the city, there was nothing to outright identify them as the Regeneration Group bar the retas worn by Kratos, Vayla, and Lloyd.

Immediately realising what was going on, it was Genis who took the initiative and decided to act like an overenthusiastic kid who had just spotted a person, or several persons, of note.

"Hey look, it's the Chosen! Where are the rest of your group, and the wolf thing, and the giant bird? Are you really a prince? Oh this is so cool!"

The red headed man that the pestering Genis was now right in front of was looking more than a little annoyed. Meanwhile the rest of the silver haired youth's companions were managing admirably not to burst into laughter. Making a shooing gesture, the man tried to push Genis out of the way.

"I don't have time to talk to a little kid. I have a job to do, and right now you're stopping me from doing it."

"You don't know much about the Alurannai do you?" The man scowled at Kratos, who was regarding him with amusement. "For one their sarren do not have leaves attached to them, two, they never speak that way to a child, three, they would never barge through a crowd of people the way you just tried to... and lastly pretending to be the Chosen's group when you're standing in front of the real one just shows what armatures you are when it comes to learning your part in an impersonation scam..."

And just to emphasise his point he extended his sarren and his wings, Lloyd and Vayla following suit. By this point the impostors were staring at them in horror, Lloyd grinning as he pointed at a book one of them was holding and spoke.

"And I think that it would be wise to give that back... I may never have seen it before, but I know the Book of Spiritua when I see it and it definitely doesn't belong to you. Hand it over, unless you want me to take it from you."

The red head scowled again, while his companions tried to stop him from doing anything stupid.

"Why should we. We were given that book..."

In a double flare of light Lloyd appeared beside the woman holding the book, grabbed it, and then reappeared back where he'd been a few moments before, finishing the man's sentence for him.

"...Under false pretences... You would only have gotten this by impersonating our group, which you've clearly been doing."

The red head would have answered, but for Kratos suddenly clearing his throat to get their attention. He stood there, arms crossed, eyes narrowed, and with his wings ever so slightly lowered from their full open position. All in all, he looked very very scary...

The effect was immediate, with the four impostors running off with fear etched on their faces. Watching them go, Vayla then glanced at a no longer staring Kratos and laughed.

"The infamous Aurion 'death glare'... I haven't seen you use that in over six hundred years."

The auburn haired swordsman turned and resumed his walk towards the government building.

"Well like all weapons of mass destruction I only use it when I must..."

Genis blinked several times as the other three alurannai in the group began to laugh.

"Did Kratos just tell joke?"

Vayla reached out and ruffled his hair.

"There was a time during the Kharlan War when our friend Yuan secretly planted some explosives he'd 'borrowed' inside a military transport vehicle, knowing that Kratos would use that look to intimidate the soldiers into leaving without a fight. The moment Kratos used it, Yuan detonated the explosives so it looked like Kratos' 'death glare' blew up the transport... It's been a running joke among us ever since."

By this point Lloyd and Sheena were laughing so much they could barely breathe, and even Raine began to laugh once she understood the joke. Genis still just kept blinking.

"His glare looked like it blew up a military transport?"

Kratos paused in his walking, shaking his head.

"If we could get moving. I would like to speak to the Governor General and then go find an inn _before_ it get's dark."

Still laughing or blinking respectively, the rest of them followed him over and into the building that was both home and office for the Governor Generals of Palmacosta.

--

"Well that was fun."

"Yeah, Collette, you should have seen the looks on Governor General Dorr's and his assistant's faces when Lloyd handed them the book they'd given to those impostors just a few minutes before."

Lloyd and Genis were sat either side of the blond girl, regaling to her what had happened back at the government building. Upon the group entering and introducing themselves, the Governor and Vice Governor Generals had been horrified that they'd fallen for the impostors' ruse. Apparently the quartet had wielded an array of perfectly plausible explanations for the absence of the rest of their supposed companions. The two men had fallen for them hook, line and sinker, and were then left red faced before the real Chosen's escort. Sufficient to say they'd both been relieved when the group had given their word not to tell anyone in the city about the slip up, and in return Governor General Dorr had handed a fair sized sum of money to Kratos to pay for their accommodation during their stay in the city. As a result they'd been able to stay at a much better inn than they'd originally planned, though the upmarket owner had been a little upset at allowing four 'animals' to enter her premises. Only Vayla's assurance that they were 'house trained' convinced her to let them in, though from the amused expressions on Kratos' and Vayla's faces when the quartet slunk into the inn giving them dirty looks it would seem that the excuse was another running joke between them. Now everyone was settling down for the night, and the regaling of events would have to be put on hold.

Raine stuck her head around the door, startling the trio sat around the room's small table.

"Come on, Collette, I know you can't sleep any more but you still need to rest, and now it's rest time. Lloyd and Genis can tell you more in the morning."

The blond girl sighed with resignation, but left the room all the same with a murmured 'good night'. Raine closing the door as soon as the girl was out in the hallway, the two boys were left with nothing else to do except do as Raine implied they do... go to bed.

--

The main square of the city was bustling, with people going to and fro about their daily business. It was hard to believe that the day before there had been a Desian attack of sorts, but then the people of Palmacosta were used to such things happening fairly often and just got on with things afterwards. Much could be said for those in the Regeneration Group as well, with even Genis putting yesterday's attack behind him. After all, no one had been killed, just a few people frightened, so staying wound up over it was pointless. Today was a new day, and one that the group had decided to spend on sightseeing and other things in general. It was Prayer day tomorrow, so they would likely spend the afternoon after the service on getting supplies... and the day after that they would probably leave the city and head for the fourth Seal. Right now though they were stood some fifty yards to the side of the Martel Cathedral, right in front of the famous Palmacosta Academy.

Genis broke out into a grin, dashing over to the doors and going in as the rest followed along behind. Once inside, stood inside the elegantly wood panelled entrance hall, the boy looked around in awe.

"I can't believe I'm finally getting to see this place. This is so cool."

Lloyd walked up beside him, not really noticing to the two boys coming down the stairwell to his left.

"You were supposed to be going this school, weren't you?"

Genis' grin widened.

"Yeah, I got a letter of recommendation for this academy, but I decided to wait a few years before coming here... And now I'm helping Collette, so I'll come to study here after that."

"A kid this small got a recommendation for the elite Palmacosta Academy? Now that's a joke."

They turned, regarding the two boys, who were wearing the academy uniform, as the apparent younger of the two spoke up next.

"Yeah, this place isn't for little kids who think they're smart. Getting a place in this academy is tough, I had to take the entrance exam four times to get in."

Lloyd snorted in amusement.

"Which just shows that you're good a cramming revision for exams... not that you really understand what you've just memorised means. Genis doesn't need to cram, and I'd bet could pass the entrance exam even after all the time we've just spent out on the road."

The first youth straightened his glasses and looked down his nose at Lloyd and Genis.

"I, Mighty, say you're a fool with no clue what you're talking about, but if you want to try and prove just how wrong you are then I challenge you to take the entrance exam. I'll go ask one of the deans to set one up in a spare classroom... Am I entering you both or just the shrimp?"

"Actually why don't you enter us all. I'm sure a chance to see how well Ms Sage's prototype on-the-road teaching methods have worked with the younger members of our group, and to also see just how much of our own schooling the older members can recall."

It was Kratos, and something about his expression said he was quite looking forward to this. Mighty, however, didn't seem to realise what he was getting himself in for.

"Seven of you. Fine them, I'll go ask for the papers to be set out, and then we'll see what you get in comparison to the score _I_ got when I enrolled here."

The two boys strode off up the stairs, their snobbish attitudes not giving way the slightest bit. Watching them go, Raine had an ever so slightly malicious smirk on her face.

"Such an attitude and close mindedness for someone supposed to be devoted to learning. I think those two are going to get a shock." She indicated the stairs to the group. "Shall we?"

Collette looked a little put off by the thought of deliberately setting out to make a fool of the boy, but the rest it seemed agreed that he needed a reality check. All of them heading up the stairs, it wasn't that long before they spotted Mighty and an older man standing outside the open door of a classroom.

Giving the group, and Mighty, a thoughtful look, he gestured to the doorway.

"Competitions of this type are not usually permitted, but I'm allowing it on this occasion since we're close to the main enrolment season and I had exam papers prepared already." He looked again at the boy beside him. "Mighty, I believe you are due in one of your lessons. Come back this afternoon once they've taken the exam and I've marked it." The boy smirked at the group before strolling off, leaving them to follow the dean into the classroom and sit where he indicated. "You have an hour to complete the paper. Talking is forbidden, and I've spread you out so that you can' read each other's work. You may begin."

Before they had the chance to write, Lloyd and Sheena got an additional message.

**And no mind speech. Use it and we'll tell the dean you cheated...**

The pair settled down to work, the scratch of ink pen on paper filling the room. Time seemed to fly by, and before they knew it the test was over, the dean marking their papers while they waited. Three hours after this little competition began, Mighty returned from his class and the dean proceeded to read out the results.

"Now since he wanted to compare is entrance grade against yours, I can tell you that Mighty got three hundred and seventy-nine on his test. Your grades are as follows. Collette Brunel, two hundred and ten, a respectable grade though not high enough to enrol here. Raine Sage, three hundred and eighty-six, an excellent result. Genis Sage, three hundred and eighty-five, again excellent." At this point Mighty's face practically fell through the floor, while Genis smirked at him victoriously. "Sheena Fujibayashi, three hundred and eighteen, you need to improve on your knowledge of Sylvarant's history, but the rest was excellent. Improve on that area and we would be happy to accept you as a student here." He checked his sheet for the next result. "Lloyd Aurion, three hundred and ninety-eight."

"What?!"

Genis and Raine were gawking, Lloyd just shrugging under their startled regard.

"Are you forgetting? Perfect recall... I remember everything I've ever had taught to me. It was only the question about when the Ossa Uprising began that I didn't know the answer for."

The two half-elves blushed, embarrassed at forgetting, even after knowing for over a year, that Lloyd was no longer 'stupid'. Genis shook his head.

"And to think that two years ago getting seventeen out of a hundred on a test was your best score..."

Deciding not to ask what all that had been about, the dean continued.

"A truly astonishing score, Lloyd, with a grade like that you'd probably give your teachers a run for their money very quickly... And lastly Kratos Aurion and Vayla Targathyr, who I'm astounded to say both got a perfect score of four hundred."

Sheena chuckled.

"Like we didn't expect that given how old they are."

Poor Mighty looked as though he was going to faint. It wasn't surprising really, not when you consider that everyone bar Collette and Sheena beat his score. Lloyd gave him a sympathetic smile.

"Don't beat yourself up over it. You had no idea you were up against a scholar, her brother, and four alurannai. Raine was our school teacher back in Iselia, and being her brother, Genis obviously got a lot of private tutoring. As for me, like I said, perfect recall, and Kratos and Vayla are both older than this school so I can't say them getting perfect scores was much of a surprise."

Patting the gawking Mighty on the shoulder, the dean, who had recognised the group for who they were when he'd first seen them, looked over at the group.

"I'll have all of those who passed the exam put on the reserved place roster. If any of you wish to study here in the future you need only ask and you will be enrolled."

It was only then that Mighty recovered enough to speak. Looking at Genis, he then looked at the floor.

"Sorry for what I said. You really are good enough to be in this school."

Genis just smiled.

"It's ok. You may have annoyed me back there, where you just assumed I'd be no good because of my age, but you know now and you've apologised, so you're forgiven." He glanced at Lloyd. "First Precept, right?" Lloyd grinned and nodded, Genis leaving his seat and walking over to offer Mighty his hand. "No hard feelings?"

Mighty looked surprised, but smiled back after a few moments and shook the offered hand.

"Yeah, no hard feelings... Hey, do want to come to the library and chat for a while. I've got no lessons this afternoon."

Genis looked at his sister.

"Is it alright?"

Lloyd looked at his father.

"Could I go too? I want to check out any books on the Ossa Uprising."

Both adults nodded, the two youths dashing out of the classroom door with Mighty in tow, the dean leaving as well. With five where seven were a moment before, it was Sheena's turn to ask something of the parent of hers who was present.

"Myrta, could Collette and I go explore the academy? We'll meet you outside on the steps later."

Vayla shook her head with a smile.

"I see no problem with it, and it would give Kratos, Raine, and I a chance to look around at sights that you youngsters might find a bit boring." The response was a flurry of thanks from the girls, who left the room almost as fast as Lloyd and Genis had. Chuckling, Vayla shook her head again. "Well we have them out of our hair for a couple of hours. How about we head down to the dockside markets and have a look at what the latest trade ships may have brought in."

No objections were raised, and so the three adults got up and left the classroom empty once more.

--

"Hey look! It's a cafeteria!"

The blond haired girl was beaming like a kid in a candy store, as if this room filled with long wooden tables and benches were the greatest thing she'd ever seen. Then again, this was Collette we were talking about, and when she decides to be enthusiastic logic rarely comes into the equation.

Shaking her head, this room looking a great deal like a number of Tethe'allan rooms of identical purpose that she'd seen, Sheena signed.

"It's a room that fills three times a day with chattering students, who complain about getting the same stuff served to them every day, and occasionally decide to throw that food at each other. It's not that special."

Collette just shrugged, walking across the room in the direction of the currently unoccupied serving area. There on the wall beside it was a sign proclaiming 'help wanted'... That was all that Collette needed to see.

"Hey, let's help them out, just for this afternoon! It'll be fun, and I'm sure they'll be happy for the help even if it's just for today."

Sheena wanted to crawl into the nearest hole and vanish... Did Collette really just say that? Could she say no to that cheerful and happy smile?

Five minutes later Sheena was stood in the serving area wearing an apron just like a happily chattering Chosen was wearing. Bringing a hand to her face she muttered so quietly to herself that not even Collette's hearing picked it up.

"What the heck have I just volunteered for?"

The cafeteria door slammed open, a mob of around twenty students racing each other to get to the serving area first. The following barrage of food orders were near loud enough to deafen the super sharp hearing of the two girls, and it was just as well both had perfect recall because without it they wouldn't have stood a chance. Dashing back and forth, in and out of the kitchen to pick up and hand over the requested food to each student, Collette kept smiling like sunshine while remarkably never tripping once, and Sheena continued to look like she wanted to find that hole.

Collette handed over the plate she was holding to the last of the first batch of students, still smiling as she accepted the money to pay for the meal and put it in the cash box as they'd been instructed.

"This is fun! Oh look, here comes some more!"

An hour and several suppressed impulses to bang her head off a wall later, and Sheena found herself being handed a bag of gald by a very happy chef.

"You two were amazing. I've never seen people work so fast and so perfectly before. You never got even a single order mixed up. I got treble my usual takings today, and most of it was from the shift you two did just now, so here's what I would pay to hire someone for the cafeteria, plus a bonus. I just wish you two could stay longer."

Collette held up her hand, about to say something.

"Well we might be able to come ba.."

Sheena slammed a hand over the girl's mouth and began to pull her backwards towards the exit.

"We have a lot to do tomorrow, and will be continuing our travels the day after. We'd love to help again but we're unfortunately not able to. Still, we were glad we could help. Now I think it's almost time for us to meet up with our friends, so we really must go." She then dragged Collette out of the room and right out of the academy, planting herself down on a bench outside in the sun. "Why must alurannai remember _everything?!_ I'm going to have nightmares about that place!"

Collette stared at her, baffled.

"What was so bad about it?"

The alurannai girl didn't answer... And nor would she even after the group had left the City of Palmacosta to head for the next Seal.

--

**Alaia Skyhawk: I decided to cut my originally planned end scene off this. The scene was a little too repetitive compared with other recent stuff, so I ended it on that amusing note before things turn serious again in the next chapter. Happy reading :D**


	42. Because He's a Father

**Alaia Skyhawk: A long wait, I know, but the last few weeks have been hectic for me. I lost my job and have started a new one, so my typing should become more regular again... I hope :S**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 42: Because He's a Father

-

It had only been a week since they'd left the seaport capital, only a week since those three days of fun and exploration. Feelings of happiness had still been running high, bolstered by the fact that that day Vayla had reached her fifty-fourth danne. Walking along the earthen road, the youngest members of the group had been chattering happily among each other, all might have been normal... That is until the sharp hearing of the alurannai members picked up the sound of a galloping horse. Now less than a day later an Arshis was charging towards the now visible stone entrance markers of that capital, a young half-elven mage clinging to its back as two flyers towed a third alongside, the whole group moving at tremendous speed. The reason was this... That Palmacosta's Vice Governor General had been the one on the horse, coming with word that the pilgrimage being led by Chocolat had been taken by Desians, their distress alert bird having being released with that message. He'd offered to be the one to take word of it to them, but not for the reason that might have been assumed... He'd done it because he'd overheard his superior muttering about 'Desians taking that woman's daughter' the day _before_ the bird had come in. That meant there was only one way he could have known. The Desians had told him and the 'rescue mission' he'd asked Neil to request the Chosen's help for was a trap. Governor General Dorr was in league with the Desians...

The discussion following had resulted in the adults in the group staying put to guard against Desians coming up from the rear, while Lloyd, Sheena, Genis, Collette, and Noishe headed back to Palmacosta to snoop around the Government Building for any information about the trap that might be there. It was a slim chance, but would take only a couple of days all told with the possibility of getting something useful, and all in all it wasn't a dangerous task. Hence the small group of young, but skilled fighters made this trip, while the more experienced members made sure nothing could come up from behind to get in the way.

"Lloyd! Where did Vayla tell us to go? You never said after she took you aside before we left."

Still keeping a firm grip on the hand of the Chosen he helped to tow at this extreme pace, the young Nartu looked over to where his best friend clung to Noishe's back, looking back at him through a veil of wind whipped silver hair.

"She told me to go to the slums area, to an inn called the Fisher's Mooring. Apparently it's run by Palmacosta's Thieves Guild... She gave me a load of money and said to 'hire someone experienced at breaking and entering'. I get the feeling that she has something of a name with them, probably from past business."

Genis looked far from happy as he shouted back.

"Great! Just what we needed, a bunch of bloodthirsty criminals helping us out... For a price!"

Collette looked between the two boys, saying nothing since she accepted that Vayla wouldn't direct them to danger. Sheena though, who was one pulling on her other hand, shouted against the wind in a sharp tone.

"Genis! Stop whining, this is about the sakes of Chocolate and the others who were with her! If you can't face a little danger for them, then at least do it for Marble!"

Even from where they flew they could see the mage wince, and moments later he turned his gaze to the markers ahead, expression determined. He would offer no more arguments.

Their arrival at the city was discreet, for all four of them had been dressed in plain, rough clothes of brown and black, Sheena now just as unremarkable as the rest due to her finally becoming able to retract her wings and sarren. That and the fact they did not enter through the gates, but instead swam to a small pier behind a set of stables, drying their garments with a spell before proceeding towards the less reputable part of Palmacosta. True to the image their name suggested, the slums were a dirty and garbage strewn area of tightly packed streets, with clogged gutters and the many homeless lingering in doorways and in alleys. The four youths in their tattered shirts, the two girls' hair held under equally scruffy headscarves, elicited little attention as they made their way to the inn in question.

The Fisher's Mooring was in a small, dead end alley, its rear and sides protected by a high stone wall. They didn't go in; instead Lloyd led them around the back to where a low sloped hatch, the access to the inn's basement, butted up against the building's rear wall. Stopping in front of it he kicked it three times, then two, then four, one of the hatch's two doors lifting up a few seconds after the final kick.

The young boy who looked up at them waved them in, Lloyd striding ahead into the next room where a clerk at a box-like desk scribbled away on a piece of paper.

"It's two to be considered in the next three days, three to..."

"Here's _ten_ to wake the Guild Leader up and get him down here." Lloyd dumped a coin pouch on the desk right in front of the startled clerk, his expression grave. "This is _very_ important, and I'm here on the recommendation of Vayla... _The_ Vayla."

His three friends had just come into the room when the clerk tipped the ten ceitres out of the pouch and pushed them into a slot at the desk's edge. After that, rather than send one of the waiting message runners, he scurried out of the room personally after pointing the small group to the nearby door. No sooner than they were inside than Genis hissed in shock at what Lloyd had just done.

"Lloyd! That was _five thousand gald_ you just handed over there!"

His friend glanced blandly back.

"So... I have another fifty in my ver... Vayla made sure I had the cash to get quick help, and from the clerk's reaction to her name I'd say we don't need to worry about being stabbed in the back." He fell silent, saying nothing in the next few minutes as his friends peered around the well furnished room... Nothing that is until he heard the faintest of sounds coming from one of the nearby walls. He didn't as much as turn his head as he spoke. "So are you going to come through that hidden door or stand there eavesdropping all day?"

They heard a muffled chuckle, before a panel in the wall, behind the desk that filled a large part of the room, opened. Through it stepped a middle aged man wrapped in a dressing gown, his blond hair mused on one side from being laid on a pillow.

He regarded them speculatively.

"'Vayla of the Alurannai' is a name that has not been uttered by a potential client for over two centuries, though all Thieves Guilds know it. So she sent you to us, for help with something of great importance, I'm sure... Care to explain?"

The man sat down behind the desk, looking up directly into Lloyd's slightly surprised face. The boy hadn't known that Vayla had revealed that fact to the Thieves so long ago, but he knew she'd have done it so that her longevity would not be questioned by them.

Walking up to the desk, Lloyd regarded him back.

"I am Lloyd Aurion of the Alurannai, one of those escorting the Chosen. Yesterday, Vice Governor General Neil caught up to our group on horseback, bearing the message that the pilgrimage that had left the city three days before us had been taken by Desians... And also the message that he overheard Governor General Dorr muttering about the kidnapping the day _before_ the alert bird reached the city... The Chosen wishes to save those taken; but with it clear that some kind of trap is involved, we've been sent back to find possible information before our group makes a move against the Ranch. We've come to you because we wish to hire someone to aid us in infiltrating the Government Building without being detected." He leaned both hands on the desk. "I have fifty ceitres, twenty-five thousand gald, and for the sake of those people I'm willing to spend every single coin of it."

Ignoring the choked splutters from Genis, which were suppressed by a certain alurannai girl, the Guild Leader rose to his feet, his face filled with a dark rage, but it was not directed at those before him.

"Keep your coins, Aluran Prince... The Governor General accused of betraying the people of Palmacosta? This is a matter I will deal with _myself_. The fewer who know for now, the better." He walked to the nearby wall, reaching up and pulling a bell cord. "You can stay in the rooms of my personal clerks; all are men and women who would sooner die than reveal the secrets I tell them. They will keep you out of sight of the rest of the Guild until night falls. When it does, I will take you to the home of our Governor... and we will _all_ find out just what he is up to..."

--

The night had never felt so cold, even though it was summer, the weight of what they were about to do chilling them to the core as they slunk through the inky shadows of the back alleys of Palmacosta at the heels of the leader of its resident Thieves Guild. The blond man, who had introduced himself as Azdar, had come to them barely half an hour earlier, just before midnight, with a bundle of dark cloaks. Those cloaks now made the four youths and their guide blend seamlessly into the darkness, as the five of them approached the rear of the city's Government Building. The home of the man accused of betraying the trust of the people he was supposed to be watching over.

They came to a stop at the end of the final alley, peering from those shadows at the high wall surrounding the rear of their target building. Regarding that wall, Azdar spoke in a hushed voice.

"There are four guards in the gardens, two on the front entrance, and two dozen inside who are posted at strategic points. Entering on the ground, first, or second floors is impossible without being detected, and all sewer outlets from the building are sealed with heavy iron grates. The only way in is down one of the chimneys, and even those are guarded by a series of metal grilles inside; a nightmare for the chimney sweeps. One of us will have to go down first and open the side of the chimney shaft up in the building's attic; the only place safe to force open one of the access doors for the sweeps. The general population doesn't know about those, or the grilles, and the sweeps are sworn to secrecy... That is unless they are also employed by me. From the attic we can begin our search of the building. The guards don't patrol, so if we can silence and hide them as we encounter them, the rest of the occupants will remain oblivious."

Lloyd turned his regard from the building, catching the thief's attention.

"Getting on the roof will be easy with mine, Sheena's, and Collette's wings; and I can create a basic illusion to conceal us as we fly up. You can leave the chimney access to me as well. I'll just crumble the stone of the first access hatch to sand with magic, nice a quiet. And don't worry about mage detection spells, an alurannai can cast spells in ways that can't be picked up by them."

Azdar chuckled.

"Now I understand the comment that is passed down by Guild Leaders along with the name 'Vayla'... Apparently the Leader, who met her at the time, commented on what good thieves the Alurannai would make if only they were interested in money."

Both Lloyd and Sheena chuckled, even the extremely nervous Genis and Collette cracking a smile. The pair of them nodding in agreement as Azdar tilted his head towards their target, the group slipped out of the alley and darted up to the side of the Government Building, a muttered incantation drifting on the air before a faint blur left the now empty paved street and floated up to the roof. From there a small part of it detached, gliding over to the largest of the building's chimneys and dropping inside.

Lloyd conjured a tiny ball of light, little more than an ember, which barely revealed the metal grid he now stood on in the confines of the chimney, a chimney whose shaft was barely more than the width of his shoulders square. That spark revealing the seams of the hatch to his acute eyesight, he put his hand upon it and focused, his ears picking up the minute whisper of falling grains as he commanded the stone to dissolve into the dust and sand that had formed it. Barely a minute later and he was done, a telepathic message to Sheena prompting her to bring the others and carefully lower them down to where he waited ready to catch them.

The attic was empty, marks in the dust upon the floor telling of where boxes and furniture had once been stored here, along with a trail of footprints which told of the sweeps' trips to the hatch over the years to clean the chimney. Regarding the room, and the door at the other side of it through which they were about to go, Lloyd reached out and patted his best friend on the shoulder.

"We'll be fine, Genis, and while I remember... Happy fourteenth birthday..."

Genis swallowed hard, as he and the others followed Azdar out of the attic and down a narrow set of stairs.

"Wish me again once this is over."

Nothing else was said, as the process of searching the building from the top down began. Room after room they quietly checked, guard post after guard post they knocked out and hid the watchers. Most of the rooms were unused and empty, much like the attic, and many others left them sifting through old records in case what they sought was hidden among them. They knew when they'd reached the more used part of the room when a chamber they peered into turned out to contain a scattering of toys and a little girl fast asleep in her bed. Silently closing the door again, Azdar tuned to the youths and whispered.

That was Dorr's daughter, Killia, and even if his _is_ in league with the Desians he'd _never_ hide anything in there that might lead to harming her. He's already lost his wife, and all of Palmacosta knows how much he loves his daughter... We've reached the end of the main floors where we might find something, for I'm sure Neil would have checked all of the regularly used rooms on this floor and below. The only place left now is the basement and the building's prison."

Collette gasped in surprise.

"Prison? This building has a prison in it?"

The thief was solemn as he replied.

"People guilty of the worst crimes, such as murder, are kept here to stop any vigilantes in the population trying to exact their own punishment upon them before the individuals can stand trial. It's not had to be used in over fifty years, which means it's been empty long enough that Dorr may have hidden something there."

Sheena glanced at the little girl's door, before turning and heading down the hallway towards the small, servant's stairway.

"Let's get going then. We've only got a couple more hours before dawn, and we need to finish our search and get out of here before the new day's guards arrive and find their comrades stuffed into closets all over the building."

The group moved off after her, disappearing through the door that separated the plain, servant's stairway from the more elaborately decorated hallway, none of them noticing a certain door whispering open to allow the blue eyes of a little girl to peer out.

'-.'-'-'-.'-'-'-'-.'-'-'-'.-'-'-'-.'-'-'-'-.'-'-'.-'-'-'

_"Please, let my daughter go! She has nothing to do with this!"_

_"Shut up, woman, we'll do what we please!"_

_"M-mommy? ...Mommie! HELP M...Ahh!! ... ... Mo-mmie... M..."_

_"KILLIA!! No! ...Killia... WHY?!"_

_"Because she had no use... Now then, Killia, such a nice name... It sounds a lot like 'kill'... Perhaps I'll use it..."_

_"You MONSTER!"_

_"No... It is YOU who will become the monster..."_

'-.'-'-'-.'-'-'-'-.'-'-'-'.-'-'-'-.'-'-'-'-.'-'-'.-'-'-'

Blue eyes narrowed darkly, a snarl of anger warping her innocent face, before she followed.

--

"I hear voices, down there."

All eyes turned to the narrower of the two damp, stone walled passages before them, the one indicated by the young Chosen. They were at the bottom of the stairs leading from the ground floor, and the passage in question was the one marked with a simple sign depicting a cage and keys... The prison.

Genis frowned and he turned to Azdar.

"I thought you said it wasn't being used at the moment?"

The thief's face was grim.

"I did, which means that we may have found what we're looking for."

He darted off into the passage, eyes hard with anger, leaving the rest of the group scrambling to catch up. He wanted answers, answers as to why Dorr had betrayed them, if indeed he had. It wasn't a long passage, and so it wasn't long before they got the first of their answers. There, in the main hub of the small prison, stood Dorr... and a trio of Desians.

"Are you saying that I still haven't paid you enough for the cure? I've been paying for three years now, squeezed money from every source I could, and now you are saying that I need to pay _more_ still? Isn't it enough already? Isn't all I've done already, been enough?"

The leader of the trio sneered, before slapping the Governor General and sending him sprawling.

"Lord Magnius is the one who will decide that! Perhaps if the trap for the Chosen works, he will give you the cure. If not, then paying more money will be the least of your problems."

"So it's true, you really have betrayed the people, Dorr..."

Azdar stepped out of the shadows, three thrown daggers felling the trio of Desians before they could flee through the currently open passage that was the means by which prisoners were brought into and out of the prison, the passage through which they had snuck into the heart of Palmacosta.

Dorr scrambled to his feet, hand reaching for the short ceremonial blade he carried as part of his rank, for ceremonial or not, it was sharp.

"How did you get in here? This building it heavily guarded."

It was then that the rest of the group came out of the passage, Lloyd in the lead.

"Easily enough given that he had two alurannai with him... And to think, Dorr, the people of this city looked up to you. Magnius' little surprise trap isn't a surprise, not since Neil overheard you mumbling about the 'kidnapping' the day _before_ the bird came in. Once it did he knew right away that something was wrong, and that's why he offered to be the one to bring your message to us. A trap uncovered becomes a weapon against it's creator, so you might as well tell us all that you know about Magnius' little scheme. After all, even with what we know already he's as good as dead... Besides, that's not the only thing we want to know... We want to know _why_ you've done what you've done."

Dorr gripped his blade even tighter, pulling it from its sheath as anger filled his expression.

"Who are you to judge me?! Some prince from a people who've just stood back in hiding for four thousand years and watched the people suffer! Your people did nothing!"

Lloyd frowned.

"You're wrong, Dorr, my people have _never_ stopped helping. There are over a dozen hidden towns, all home to escapees from the Ranches, which my people created, help to support, and protect, all anonymously. We've constantly sabotaged the Desians efforts from the shadows, doing so in a way that hampers them, reducing the harm they can cause, but never drawing attention to ourselves. If my people had gone all out against the Desians, at a time when the Prophecy of Restoration is not yet at hand, it would have caused the destruction of the world. What good is there in destroying the Desians, if it means destroying the world as well? If it means that those people we cannot save must suffer or die, then it's a burden we must carry, the burden of their hopes and dreams that a better world, with a new Giant Tree, will someday come to be. My people have carried that burden for four thousand years, and not once have they wavered in their task. Your task was to watch over the people of this city, to care for them, and instead you've betrayed them all... So are you going to tell us why?"

Dorr looked like he wanted to lash out, but the import of Lloyd's words held him immobile. He couldn't deny them, not when he could see in the boy's eyes that every word of it was true. Finally, after several moments, he lowered his blade and turned to face a nearby cell, a cell whose front was covered by a thick curtain.

"You want to know why?" He walked up to it, gripping the curtain's edge before flinging it to the side, exposing the cage. "_This_ is why!" The four youths and the thief gasped in horror at the twisted figure within, a tormented wail coming from the Exbelua as exposure to the light of the single lantern that lit the room alerted it to the presence of others. Not looking at it, Dorr faced them with tears of helplessness in his eyes. "My wife... After the Desians killed my father they did this to my wife as a warning, and told me that to get the cure from them I must do as they say until they consider the price paid... My daughter... I told the people that Clara was dead, and told only Killia that the Desians 'had her' and that I would soon get her mother back. My little girl, I couldn't bare to let her grow up without her mother, so I..."

The pain in his voice by this point was eating at them all, especially Lloyd and Sheena, who knew all too well the torments that could be faced by a parent over the love of their child. Azdar as well seemed particularly affected, all anger gone from his face, replaced by pity for this man whose love had been used against him by the Desians. He would have spoken at this point, but for the small bewildered voice that came from the passage behind him, followed by the patter of small feel.

A little girl in a nightgown dashed past them and up to the now crying man.

"Father! Father, why are you crying? Why are you in this scary place? Did those people make you come here?"

Dorr dropped to his knees, using his empty hand to pull her into a hug.

"It's alright, Killia, Daddy just needed to speak to them. Why are you out of bed?"

She snuggled against his chest, as the nearby group looked on.

"I woke up when I heard people outside my room, talking about finding something, and about you, and about getting out before people find guards stuffed in closets. I was scared they were going to hurt you so I followed them."

He ruffled her hair, before getting back to his feet.

"Hush, Killia, everything is going to be alright." He looked up at Lloyd. "I've made my decision, and I'm going to help you. One way or another, I believe it's what my wife would want. All I ask is that the Alurannai find a way to cure her."

Sheena grinned, as Killia moved to stand by her father's right hand.

"That's not a problem. If my mother were here we could have cured her right away. The Alurannai already know how to heal people like your wife. I'll go to the Sentinel near here and ask the jiisumura there to get one of our healers to come right away."

Dorr looked stunned, before the light of hope lit his face. He dropped his blade, taking a step towards them.

"You will? You can cure her?"

Sheena continued to smile, the others beginning to smile also, none of them noticing the little girl picking up the blade her father had dropped.

"Yes, we will and we can."

"Ok, this is getting just a little too sappy for me."

"AUGHH!"

Dorr's shout of agony reverberated off the stone walls, as all of them stared in horror at the tip of the blade protruding out of his chest. He cried out again as it was pulled free, dropping to his knees to reveal the little blood splattered girl holding the red smeared weapon.

She sneered, an expression that was truly disturbing on such a young face.

"When someone is useful, make use of them, and then when they are not, get rid of them... What a fool. He was so busy trying to cure his wife that he never realised that I wasn't his real daughter. It's been quite amusing, watching Magnius manipulating him, neither of them knowing that _I_ was the one who handed Clara to his men to be turned into a monster. Magnius has never liked my master, and I happen to know that the feeling is mutual. Lady Pronyma knew he was up to something, so I just slipped in while no one was looking and have been watching events unfold ever since."

The girl was now stood between them and the critically injured Governor, still sneering as Lloyd drew his swords.

"Nice illusion. You actually had me fooled back when you were in your room, but now that I know to look harder I can sense that you're a half-elf... If you'd crossed paths with my Ata or Vayla they'd have seen through it even without that clue."

She cast aside the blade, sneer turning to a smirk.

"Which is why Lady Pronyma instructed me to never show myself to them. I made sure to stay well out of their way, which was easy enough since a 'little girl' had no reason to speak to them... Now I think this little chat has gone on long enough, and Lady Pronyma would so love to be able to hand the precious Lloyd Aurion over to Lord Yggdrasil. It might even mean a promotion for me into the remaining 'vacancy', a chance I am not going to pass up... I am the one the Desians call Nightshade! Prepare to see your friends _die!_"

Darkness suddenly seemed to surround her like a clouds, while Lloyd stood ready with his swords as the others readied their own weapons. When the cloud dissipated they were faced by a woman who had clearly been extensively altered with magic, her skin a purple that was closer to black, a pair of spiralled horns protruding from the sides of her head above her delicately pointed ears. Her red eyes narrowed, and then she charged at them.

The fight that followed was a short one, for Nightshade clearly underestimated the strength of the four youths, who finished her off before Azdar had even managed to get himself out of the pile of wooden crates he was thrown into by her in the opening strikes of the battle. Seeing the woman stagger back from them, violet blood dripping to the floor as she nearly tripped over the skeletal tail she'd sprouted after realising her usual set of claws was not enough. Staring her down was the boy she'd threatened, only a handful of cuts and scrapes marking his and Sheena's clothing and skin, Genis and Collette untouched as they stood ready to cast their respective spells at the slightest move of the woman.

With a muttered spell the blood on his swords fell away as dust, and he sheathed them, the hiss of steel whispering against the walls like the sound of her harsh breathing.

"When I was five I was vulnerable, but still I outwitted your master and escaped her. Now I am no longer so. I am strong, and any Desian who underestimates me will find themselves as beaten and battered as you... I suggest you leave. If you do not then you will die. This is your final chance."

She began to laugh.

"You're showing me mercy? You fool!" She threw a bolt of power at the nearby cage, blowing the bars clean off. Clara shambled out, wailing, before standing between Nightshade and the group. She continued to laugh. "I have the power to control Exbelua! Will you be so confident against the innocent Clara? ... Ahhh!"

In a flash of light Lloyd was behind her, one of his swords transfixing her the way the blade she had held had transfixed Dorr. Lloyd pulled it free, before stabbing her again, this time in the head.

"I gave you a chance, by the First Precept, and you refused it..."

As he stood there over the dead woman, Clara wailed again before charging off into the passage to the outside world, Collette moving as if to follow.

"Clara!"

She was stopped by a hand on her shoulder, Sheena shaking her head."

"The jiisumura will find her later. Right now we need to help Dorr."

The two of them looked over to where Lloyd now knelt at the Governor General's side, hand pressed to the man's chest as he spoke the words of a healing spell. The spell seemed to splutter, and with a frown Lloyd tried again with the same result. Looking over at them, he shook his head... It was too late to save him.

While Genis moved to help Sheena comfort Collette, who was shaking her head in denial, Azdar joined Lloyd at Dorr's side.

"We'll get them for this; I give you my word the people will know the truth of what the Desians did to you and your family."

Dorr nodded, a tearing cough racking him before he managed to speak.

"Thank you." His gaze moved to Lloyd. "Will you please ask your people to find my daughter as well as cure my wife? Please?"

Lloyd hesitated for a moment, before nodding.

"I will, I promise you that if your daughter is alive my people will find her and reunite her with Clara."

Dorr smiled.

"I was a fool, who let his fears blind him. If only I had told the people the truth about Clara. I'm sure that if I had then together we might have found the way to cure her. At the very least the Alurannai would have heard of it and perhaps come to help. I only regret that it has taken death to teach me that... I wish you and your companions luck on your journey, and ask you that you help me correct at least part of my mistake. Please save those pilgrims, and I will tell you of a way into the Ranch." Lloyd nodded, and Dorr continued. "The patrols outside the Ranch each carry a security card that allows them to use a back entrance into the Ranch. I was given one briefly, but handed it back when it became clear that given the time I had to spend here I could never visit the Ranch for meetings with Magnius. It was pointless for me to have one, and when it was taken back I overheard the Desians who came for it talking about the codes that go with the cards. All of them are the same, and the code is changed only once every five years. There's still three years on the current code, the one I was told, so it may still work. The code is three, three, four, one."

His breathing was becoming increasingly ragged, his face pale as the pool of blood beneath him continued to grow. The struggle grew harder, and his eyes pleaded at Lloyd to answer, and Lloyd did.

"We'll do everything we can to save not just the pilgrims, but _all_ the people at the Ranch. We won't let your death be in vain." Dorr managed one final smile of gratitude, before with a sigh he took his last breath... and fell silent. Lloyd got up, pulling Azdar to his feet as well. "We need to alert the guards on the front entrance to come down here. I'll speak to them so that you're not blamed for Dorr's death, but after that my friends and I need to go. We can't delay."

The thief nodded, following Lloyd as he headed for the passage back into the upper levels of the building. As he reached it though, Sheena stopped him.

"That was kind of you, Lloyd. At least he died with one less bit of pain."

Collette looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

Lloyd sighed.

"The dark magic that permits a person to take on another's form requires one main component. The death of the person you wish to replace... Killia is dead, but I let Dorr die with the hope that she would be rescued. I wasn't about to tell him that the very child he'd done all he had for the sake of... had been dead all this time... I did it because he's a father, and no father deserves the pain of knowing their child has died before them."

He walked out, the rest of them following, leaving behind two bodies, each lying amid blood that glinted in the light of a single lantern.

--

**Alaia Skyhawk: Man that was dark and angsty at the end, darker than I expected to write it. Ah well, the next two chapters are gonna be angsty and dark too so that's just the way it goes I guess. Happy reading :D**


	43. Window of the Past

**Alaia Skyhawk: ****And here's another angsty one :S**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 43: Window of the Past

-

Five weeks... Just five weeks ago they had left Palmacosta with Thodasa as their destination. Now they headed for a place far more sinister, with the goal of saving the lives of those innocents imprisoned there. The Palmacosta Ranch...

The determined and angry Collette of many months ago, the one who had led a city to destroy another such Ranch, had returned, though she was keeping her head this time, the hard lesson she'd learned back then not being one she would forget. Yes they were aiming to save people, but that meant that others, driven into the Desian ranks by discrimination, would have to die. Blue eyes solemn, she spoke little to those around her as they trudged through the long grasses of the Plains of Palmacosta, far from any road as they took the most direct route the two adult alurannai in the group knew. East by north-east across the plains to the southern end of the Thodasa Mountains, turning north slightly after to follow the Virran Plateau cupped by those mountains, before descending to the plains again and heading true north, right for the Ranch. They didn't have an army of people with them this time, and neither Kratos nor Vayla had said what was going to be done with the prisoners once they were rescued, but all in the group trusted that they had something in mind, probably explaining the cross country route which was only marginally faster than if they'd taken the road to Maota and then headed east. That was far ahead in their minds for now though, with something far more immediate to garner their attention.

"Whoa, look at the size of that hole!"

"Wow, it's so big!"

The rest of the group looked to where Genis and Collette stood on the crest of the slope ahead of them. Both were stood wide eyed in awe, and when the others joined them it wasn't hard to see why. A vast, perfectly circular depression was carved out of the surface of the plains, its sides gently sloped, its equally perfectly shaped bottom completely flat. The long grasses of the plains clung to its sides, but something retarded their growth, keeping them as short as if some unearthly gardener were keeping them so like one would maintain a lawn in a garden. It was easily half a mile across, and looking down into it Kratos spoke.

"The Window of Illusion, said to be a place where one can stand at the dark of the moon and see into another world as though looking through a window. It has a counterpart, far away on an island, called the Otherworldly Gate. Some say the two are connected, though only those that have passed through them could say for sure...

'-'-.'-'-'-.'-'-'-'-'-.-'-'-.'-'-'-'-'-.'-'-'-'-'

"Mother? ...Mother, Father?"

Blue eyes scanned the surrounding slopes desperately, water dripping from the tips of soaked silver hair as the child in her arms snuffled, drifting into slumber now that rain no longer pelted down on him. He was oblivious to his surroundings, as all infants would be, blissfully unaware of the turmoil running through his sister's mind and heart. Hearing the sound she looked down at him, eyes softening as she gazed at him, before they hardened with determination.

_I'll find us a place, a place where you can grow up as happy as I had been back in Heimdall._

She bit back a sob, that thought reminding her of what she had lost, before she began to walk towards and then up the side of the vast bowl to the rim a quarter of a mile away. That would be her first goal, to reach that edge, and then from there she would be able to look for a road. The climb was a long one, even though the slope wasn't steep, making it seem as though she wasn't getting anywhere. She kept going though, in the hope that from that rim she would see where to go next... That hope however, was crushed.

_There's no road, nothing in sight, there's nothing but grass..._

Blue eyes brimmed with tears of helplessness, as she was suddenly faced with being in the middle of nowhere, with no food, no shelter, and a four week old baby in her arms.

_We're all alone, and we're lost..._

She wasn't sure how long she'd stood there, but the glow of the rising sun at her back spurred her into action. Standing doing nothing wouldn't help, all she could do was pick a direction and go, hoping that it led to a road or something of the like. The child in her arms continued to sleep as she walked, the sun rising higher behind her as she headed west, her chosen direction. That didn't last long though, for soon as is inevitable with infants, his cloth diaper was damp and dirty, and he woke up hungry. His cries of distress tore at her, but there was nothing she could do but keep going. She had no clean cloths with which to get him clean and dry, and no milk to ease his hunger. He wasn't the only one hungry of course, but she put her own discomfort aside and continued to walk. Over the course of the next couple of hours his cries got gradually louder, his little face screwed up so much in distress that he was as red as if he'd been sunburned. She tried to sooth him with songs, but the need for food blotted them out and he continued to cry. She'd just found a spring, and was contemplating giving him water in the hope that it would help quiet him, when a voice from the nearby grass startled her.

"What are you doing all the way out here, child? This is no place for a young girl and an infant." She watched as a figure stood up, revealing them self to be an ebon haired woman, wearing a cloak against the slight chill of the wind. She walked over, stepping over the stream that stemmed from the spring and coming to a stop beside her, peering down at the screaming boy in her arms. "Wet and hungry by the sounds of it, and by the resemblance and your elven blood I would say you two were siblings, for while humans may marry so young occasionally, for those of elven and half-elven kind few marry before their fifth decade." She turned and began to walk away. "Stay here, I'll be back in a short while with some food and clean clothes. Half-elves may be looked down on by most, but my friends and I aren't 'most people'... I won't be long."

The next moment she was gone, a swirl of her cloak and she vanished as if she had never been. Such was the suddenness that the girl could only wonder if she'd been dreaming, wonder that she had imagined the whole encounter with the strange human woman who seemed not to care that she was a half-elf. It was proved to be real however when the woman came back about ten minutes later with a rag tag group of thirteen people in tow, a group made up of not just humans, but half-elves as well. For a lost girl it was a sight akin to a miracle.

The next moment she was being fussed over by the two half-elven women in the group, one of them lifting her brother from her arms and deftly beginning to change his diaper using a new one made from what looked like it might have been the corner of a blanket. The dirty one was thrown in the direction of one of the human men, who caught the smelly item with a look of disgust before heading to the stream to scrub it clean. Meanwhile the other woman ran a comb through the girl's tangled and now long dry hair, tidying it as she began to ask the inevitable questions.

"So are you going to tell us your names, and why you're out here all alone? There's no one living out here, and the only reason _we're_ here is that we came to take a look at the fabled Window of Illusion. It's said that you can see another world through it on certain nights, and we were curious so we came to take a look." She lowered the comb as the girl looked at her uncertainly. "It's alright, none of us bite." She then looked up as the human woman who appeared to lead this group came over with a bottle of milk capped by an improvised teat. "Ah and here comes some food for your brother. All clean and well fed, I'm sure he'll be much happier in a moment."

Speaking of her brother, he was placed back in her arms at that moment, the woman reaching her side and handing her the bottle.

"It's just water mixed with powdered goat's milk and fish oil, but it should feed him fine." She chuckled. "I was practically raised on this stuff, my parents were rather busy when I was little and it was easier to feed me this than boil milk and cool it again to make it safe for me while my mother was away. My name's Milleisi, by the way. Are you going to tell us yours? I'm beginning to wonder if you're mute."

The girl hesitated just a moment more, before with a tentative smile she answered.

"I'm Raine, and this is my little brother, Genis."

Milleisi smiled.

"Well then, as you're all alone out here in the wilds, would you and your brother like to come with us, Raine...?"

'-'-.'-'-'-.'-'-'-'-'-.-'-'-.'-'-'-'-'-.'-'-'-'-'

"...Raine? Raine?!" She startled for a moment, blinking at her brother in confusion as he stood on tip toes to stare her in the face. "You spaced out for a minute. We're gonna get left behind!"

It was then that she noticed the rest of the group waiting a short distance away, she having been so lost in memories that she hadn't noticed them set off again. Hurriedly she caught up; a knowing glance from Vayla telling her that she knew what had been on her mind. Settling back into the usual pace of walking, she patted Genis on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I saw this place a long time ago, and I was just remembering..."

--

"So where are we going, exactly?"

The group had been on the Virran Plateau for a little over a week now, with yet another birthday in the group having being passed by much like Genis' had been. Lloyd and Sheena, now both twenty years old, had just shrugged off their special day and the group had continued onwards in much the same silence that had remained cast over them in the time before they'd passed the Window of Illusion and in the three weeks since. The group were now just over two weeks away from reaching the Ranch, and it seemed that now was the time that Vayla and Kratos were going to reveal just what it was that they had in mind to look after the prisoners once they were rescued.

Glancing back at the silver haired woman, Vayla regarded her.

"We're going to enlist some muscle from some long time friends of the Alurannai. Magnius' Ranch is different from Kvar's, he won't kill the prisoners if a frontal assault is made, since he'll be too busy throwing his men at the attackers to consider that. If we sneak in using that code Dorr gave you, and then send an attack from the front as a diversion, we should have little trouble getting to the Ranch's Control Room. Magnius has the usual spread of standard warriors and spell casters in his ranks, though the numbers are more skewed towards the casters in this Ranch than in the others. A caster's greatest weakness is a melee attacker with immunity or partial resistance to spells, and the nearest people who fight like that, and who have spell resistant armour, are the Dwarves."

Genis gawked.

"The Dwarves? But there's nothing here, no town or city or anything!"

Kratos glanced at him, before leaning against a nondescript rock among many that stood on one side of the fork in the game trails they'd been following.

"It's here; in fact this path is signposted to say there's a Dwarven City nearby." The two half-elves and the Chosen frowned in confusion, prompting Kratos to tilt his head and indicate the rock he was leaning against. "This rock is of a variation of stone not found on this continent. It's subtle enough that people in general will pass it by without thought, but to those who know of such details, such as the Dwarves, it screams that this path leads to a Dwarven City. Most notably in this case, it leads to the City of Virrshim, the settlement this plateau was named after incidentally. Now let's get moving. The city isn't far."

He set off down the path, fellow alurannai, Protozoans, Summon Spirits, and three sceptical individuals following behind. The path soon met a river, which it then followed before dead ending at a cliff from which the river tumbled from above in a massive waterfall.

Looking up at it, Vayla grinned.

"Ah, the classic waterfall formal entrance. You've got to love the Dwarves for their scene setting. Well then, let's go in. The Gates of Virrshim await."

Like a similar path walked a long time ago, beyond the waterfall lay a tunnel lit by gradually brighter and brighter rough crystals the deeper the group went. It must have gone on for near a quarter of a mile before it opened up into a chamber where more light crystals were set in patterns across the arching ceiling like constellations of stars across a night sky. While those who had never seen its like before stared up at it in awe, Kratos and Vayla walked up the vast wooden doors at the chamber's far end. Doors guarded by a pair of dwarves, each holding a halberd that towered over them.

Waiting until the rest of the visiting group had caught up, it was then that the guard on the left thumped the foot of his weapon on the floor twice.

"These are the Gates of Virrshim. Ye who would enter here, state thy names in the tradition of the people."

The guard on the right repeated the gesture with his own halberd.

"These are the Gates of Virrshim. Ye who would enter, state thy business in the tradition of the land."

As he had done on many occasions over the millennia, Kratos stepped forward and stopped exactly eighteen paces from the line that was deeply graven into the rock floor, four yards from the doorway. He then brought his right hand up as if to place it on his chest, but instead held it about a foot away from his body.

"By the tradition of the people. I am Kratos Aurion. My companions are Vayla Targathyr, Lloyd Aurion, Sheena Targathyr, Raine Sage, Genis Sage, Collette Brunel, Noishe and Mezo of the Protozoans, and Dalli and Corrine of the Lesser Summon Spirits."

The first guard spoke.

"By the tradition of the people, we accept your names."

Kratos took seven steps forward, stopping eleven paces from the line. This time he dropped to one knee, placing his hands, fingers pointed outwards, palms flat on the ground. He then stood up again, keeping his hands held out in the same position, never taking his eyes off of the dwarves while behind him Raine was watching this little ritual with great interest.

"By the tradition of the land. We come here seeking aid in rescuing those who have been taken by the nearby Desian Ranch, whom we have promised to do our utmost to save."

The second guard spoke.

"By the tradition of the land. Your business and request are accepted."

The guards then spoke in unison.

"By the balance between the people and the land, we welcome you to Virrshim. You may enter."

Each of them walked to the outer edge of either side of the doors. Once there, they took the points of their halberds and inserted them into a pair of depressions in the rock floor, pointing towards the walls. Then in a single smooth motion they pulled on the handles to make them point towards the centre of the door. In response, the great doors swung inwards as in the distance they heard a bell ring, telling the dwarves that someone had arrived in the city.

Collette and Genis watched with awe.

"Wow..."

"You don't see that every day..."

Lloyd grinned at them.

"C'mon, I bet the city inside is even better than all this. Inanu Dirk talked about how great Braananir was all the time."

He jogged after his father and Vayla, who were leading the way through the great doors while the guards stood there with apparent disinterest, only an occasional glance out of the corner of their eyes showing they were in fact watching the group with a great deal of curiosity. The group passed through the doors, which swung closed behind them. Beyond there was only a short length of tunnel before they came upon a huge open space, whereupon again those who had never seen such before gasped in astonishment. Like the city of Graashim, visited so long ago by Kratos and Vayla, they were standing on a plaza overlooking an immense cavern. The city stretched out below them in a series of levels. Throughout it were huge stone columns that extended from the floor to the ceiling far overhead, and where they met the roof the columns linked with each other in vast arches.

Raine stared in absolute wonderment.

"By the Spirits... How long did it take to build this place?"

No one said anything, for only the Dwarves themselves would possibly know the answer. It was after letting Raine and the youths in the group look at the view several more minutes, that Kratos and Vayla descended one of the two great staircases that extended from either side of the plaza, leading the group down to where a very large group of dwarves waited for them... In fact by the leather guild crests each wore, every guild in the city was represented. Not surprising given what the group's 'stated business' was.

One of the dwarves stepped forward, the only one with metal on his guild crest, a simple ring of gold that indicated that he was the current elected leader of the Dwarven Council of Virrshim.

"Welcome to Virrshim. It is a grave request you ask of us, Aluran Prince, but we know you would not ask it if it were not needed. While it may seem abrupt, with no council meeting being held, there is not a single dwarf in this city that will object to my saying that we will aid you as you have asked. Dwarven Vows numbers one and two: 'Let us work together for the sake of a peaceful world', and 'Never abandon someone in need'. That Ranch is a monstrosity, and we will be glad to help in wiping it off the face of this continent. Simply give us two days to assemble a force and it will depart with you on the dawn of the third. Is that agreeable my fellows?" The final comment was directed at the assembled dwarves, who all murmured in agreement before each headed off to his respective guild. As soon as they were gone the dwarf spoke again. "I am Tolgran, of the Tools Guild. If you follow me, I will show you to the guest quarters."

He turned and walked towards one of the nearby staircases leading into the heart of the subterranean city, the group following solemnly behind.

--

"They didn't waste any time, did they?"

Genis sat at the 'human' height wooden table in the guest quarters they'd been shown to, idly tipping his kendama end over end in his hands. The rest of the group were sat in the various cushioned chairs about the moderate sized room, the spirits and Noishe sprawled asleep on a rug while Mezo dozed on the perch Sheena had brought out of her ver for him.

Looking across at him from where she sat, Vayla sighed.

"The Dwarves have suffered as much in their own way as the rest of the people have under the oppression of the Desians. They are more in tune with the land that all other races bar the Offspring ones, and so they feel far more acutely the pain of the land due to mana depletion. They see the Desians making an already bad situation worse, and so naturally, while their customs prevent them taking action against them on their own, if an appropriate and trustworthy authority comes asking for their aid in the same take they will jump at the chance. Only the First Elven Elder, the Greater Summon Spirits, and the Alurannai Nartana can ask such a thing of them, and in all of history this is the first time that agreement has been invoked."

Raine shifted in her seat, and might have said something but for Kratos beating her to it.

"I don't ask this of them lightly, for I know full well that at least a few of those who come with us will not live to return here, battle advantage over spell casters and most melee or not. I'm not asking this of them just because of the promise Lloyd made to Dorr, I asked because in taking those pilgrims he has broken the Quota Agreement that I myself brokered for Palmacosta... An agreement where I warned him that I would call on close allies and friends to bring his Ranch crashing down around his pointed ears should he ever break it. The threat was enough to keep him in line up until now, but it seems that this time revenge was far too tempting for him. Now he will pay the promised price... and I will shoulder the burden of those lives that will be lost in the battle to come."

He got up and left the room, leaving behind three sombre alurannai, two startled and yet awed half-elves, and a very thoughtful Chosen. The Spirits and Protozoans slept on, oblivious to the scene that had just occurred as Collette got up as well.

"I'm going to sit on the roof. I can't sleep, so I might as well watch the army assemble... Every face I see is one that I can keep alive in memory should they not make it back. Kratos isn't the only one who needs to carry the burden, we all need to play a part or those under the pressure might be crushed beneath it. We're a group, and as a group we should carry any guilt or regret together."

When she left the room they heard her go up the stairs, each of those remaining looking around at each other before in agreement they all headed for bed, each holding both Kratos' and Collette's words in their minds, those words holding fast the determination that for those who wouldn't make it, their deaths would not be in vain...

--

**Alaia Skyhawk: So much ANGST! Man it gets so depressing writing this stuff...**


	44. Truth and Lies

**Alaia Skyhawk: Nope, I'm not dead, work has just been getting in the way of typing that's all.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

44: Truth and Lies

-

Like some hulking beast made of shadows, the building was a dark blot amongst the trees far below in the dim evening light. The glow of the mana reinforced fences surrounding the perimeter only served to make the heart of the complex all the blacker from this view point, a black as the heart of the man who ruled it.

The five fliers and their two half-elven passengers watched from their place of hiding high up in the sky above the Ranch, waiting for the Dwarves to make their move. Only once the Ranch's troops were committed to the battlefield would the six of them descend...

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

"Ah think this is what you're looking for."

Beneath the thick canopy of trees, upon the blanket of last year's fallen leaves, there was now an even thicker blanket of dwarven warriors. Heavy armour, made from thick plates of their kinds finest and strongest metal alloys, turned this already formidable army into a force where every member was like a miniature tank. Runes, engraved to shine silver against the deliberately dulled surfaces of the plates, would repel all but level three and four spells should they be targeted at a single isolated dwarf; and level threes as well if several dwarves were standing together in the spell's target area. The dwarves knew this, and already the fourteen hundred present had been arranged into groups of twenty whom would move together as a unit for just that reason. Only level fours and group spells were a threat, and hopefully, with casters able to do the former being rare, the Ranch's defenders wouldn't think of the latter until it was too late to use it to any real effect.

In the middle of this scene one dwarf was bent over plucking something from the pocket of the fallen Desian who was crumpled with several other members of a patrol squad. Standing straight again, he nodded as a second closer examination of the small grey card confirmed it to be the key they'd been asked to find as they moved into position around the facility. With a grim smile he passed it to the small white wolf cub that had been perched on his shoulder since Kratos and the rest of those who would infiltrate the Ranch had split up from the army a few hours earlier.

Dalli regarded it, before turning his gaze to meet that of the dwarven man.

"Many thanks, I'll take this to Kratos right away... Be careful, Man of the Earth. Your peoples' Unity will allow me to aid in their protection a little, but I have my limits. Sumara Lord I may be, but my true power has not been returned to me for that long and it could be said that I am a little out of practice when it comes to using it. Try not to let your people do anything too reckless."

With that he gently took the card in his teeth and vanished in a flare of light, leaving the dwarven man to turn and face his fellows.

"Well you heard him. Now then, let's get this started before we find we've dawdled so long that the sun starts to rise on us." He hefted his axe, as his grim smile took on a slightly wicked gleam. "The ears of the half-elves may be good, but nothing beats the eyes of a dwarf when fighting in the dark. Get into your positions! We attack when Aska's Light leaves the sky!"

Like a wave breaking up among rocks on a shore, a surprisingly quiet one given their armour, the mass of dwarves split into its myriad groups and vanished among the trees, for those of elven blood were not the only ones whom trees would hide in plain sight... After all, where there are trees there is earth, and nowhere is a dwarf more at home.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

The first thud drew little notice, nor did the second... It was only when a muffled distant curse reached one lucky Desian's ears, in the wake of the throwing axe that narrowly missed his head, that his shout of warning let all hell loose as the alarm sirens of the Ranch began to shriek out their wails into the night sky. The Desian wasn't lucky for much longer though, as a second thrown axe sent him to join those of his fellows for whom the previous thuds had signalled their demise. Those that had been standing guard with him began to fall as well, the last dropping to the ground as a squad of dwarves came out of the surrounding trees unhooking hammers and pickaxes from their backs to begin doing what dwarves do best. The base and supports for the mana fence were made of stone, and stone is something the Earth Folk knew just how to get out of the way very quickly.

The Desian mages on the watch towers began to fire on them, the streaks of flame, spears of ice, and bolts of lightning all rebounding off the armoured warriors who gave the attacks little notice much to the horror of the defending half-elves. It was only when several men and women with heavy crossbows joined the mages that the dwarves paused in their task of continuing to enlarge the already considerable hole they'd made in the surface of the wall. Several of them downed their tools, undoing the straps that held their breast an back plates in position, lifting the metal above their heads without exposing any un-armoured area, and then locking the plates together with previously hidden clasps to turn their armour into thick shields which they used to form a solid wall around those still battering their way into the wall. This scene was being repeated around the entire perimeter of the Palmacosta Ranch, and little did the disconcerted occupants of the complex know that only a third of the dwarves in the forest made up those whom were rapidly making the perimeter defences look like a piece of wood that has had an encounter with a horde of termites.

Watching from the shadows among the trees, the dwarf leading this attack observed the Desians' reactions thus far with a calculating expression.

"They'll be getting mighty nervous now. That Ranch is like a maze of tunnels, and tunnels are where dwarves are assumed to excel in battle... A pity for them that most people don't know that rocky forest terrain is what we prefer. Hard, irregular ground to make footing uncertain for those not used to it, and lots of trees to make it extremely hard for spell casters to get a visual lock on their targets. The Cardinal who built this Ranch all those centuries ago may have picked a place that would give half-elves an advantage over humans, but it's a death trap if you're being attacked by dwarves. Ah expect Magnius will be getting rather angry at our attack, and Ah'd spend a week in a small room with the Gnomelettes if he doesn't send all his troops out in the next two minutes."

The warrior beside him laughed.

"Ah think you've won yourself a reprieve then, Captain Ganler, cos here they come!"

The squads attacking the walls suddenly backed up and fled into the trees, the gates of the Ranch opening to release a torrent of battle cry yelling Desians. Captain Ganler responded to this by unhooking his battle hammer from his belt and striking the top of the metal stake, which was imbedded deep into the ground beside him, with a strange but distinct rhythm. Throughout the surrounding areas the squads among the trees backed up as the individual in each group whom had had their ear pressed to the tip of similar stakes relayed the command that had come from the captain before pulling them out of the ground and moving to the next agreed standing point. Once there the stakes would go into the ground once more, the listeners taking up their positions once again to listen for the next command.

Meanwhile the Desians continued to run out into the darkness around the Ranch, melee fighters and crossbow men at the front with a great many anxious spell casters behind. The walls of the Ranch now exposed to full view, from the sight of it in places it was a wonder it was still standing. Some of the supports holding up the mana fence were canting at dangerous angles, the fence itself flickering uncertainly as the leaning sections of stone stressed the wires carrying the flows of mana. All that damage done in less than five minutes? With not a single attacker having been taken down?

Captain Ganler continued to watch, his eyes moving up to the star scattered sky just in time to catch a flicker of movement plunging down towards the centre of the Ranch. He regarded the complex one last time, before yanking the metal stake beside him out of the ground and heading off to his own next position.

"Gnome's blessings on you, Aluran Prince. May we all get out of this in one piece..."

Just a fleeting shadow, one with the earth upon which he walked, he then vanished into the darkness.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

Eyes watering from the wind of their passage blasting into his face, the young silver haired mage fought the desire to close them as the buildings below rushed up towards them with terrifying speed. His sister wasn't managing as well, with her own eyes pressed tightly shut as she gritted her teeth and clung with a white-knuckle grip to the arms of the alurannai woman clamped around her waist. With a gasp as his weight suddenly returned, before increasing past normal as his momentum fought to keep him moving despite the rapidly beating azure wings that brought the previous rapid fall to a sudden and yet controlled stop, Genis swallowed nervously as he found himself inside a Ranch for the second time in his life. All around them the alarms were still blaring, red lights still flashing, but the compound itself was completely deserted.

Looking around nervously, he unhooked his kendama from his belt.

"I guess _that_ part of the plan is working. So what now?"

A hand came to rest on his shoulder, a hand belonging to the man who had just been carrying him. Looking down at the youth, Kratos regarded him calmly, that calm reassuring the boy.

"You, and Lloyd will be coming with me, while Vayla, Raine, Sheena, and Collette get the prisoners out. Vayla has the key card and code to open the back exit to get them out, which means that with most if not all of the Ranch's troops now out in the woods, to take more than three after Magnius would be a waste of manpower that could be better used helping the captives. While you and Lloyd can both heal, you are both still better suited to combat, which is why I'm bringing you with me. When the fight with Magnius starts, heal yourselves and each other if you get hurt and I will do the same. Magnius is something of a tank when it comes to fighting, and for all of mine and Lloyd's speed and strength I don't doubt he'll have a few lackeys to throw at us and prevent us using it to kill him quickly. Instead our advantage will be that we can all heal, and can all fight, so keep that in mind and we should have little trouble dealing with him."

He began to walk away, towards the largest of the buildings inside the compound, Genis and Lloyd following after him. Watching them go, Raine lifted her staff from the sling across her back and sighed.

"And again he goes into the kind of situation I've tried so hard to shield him from. It's his choice though, and at fourteen he's not exactly a child anymore, not by his age _or_ his experience. I guess I accept that now, as much as it hurts me to think of how much of his childhood he has lost."

Vayla patted her on the arm, her glaive held at the ready in her other hand.

"That's what war does, steals childhoods, and right now the Desians' actions have started a war with the people. A price has to be paid somewhere." She too turned and began to walk away, towards the pair of now familiar cell blocks on the far side of the compound, near identical to those at the Asgard Ranch. "Well we have a job to do as well, and it's waiting inside those buildings. Come on, the dwarves have made sure to leave a gap in the attacking lines for us to get out, but the longer we take the greater the chance that the general flow of battle out there will inadvertently close it."

All four of them broke into a run towards the cell blocks, to where frightened captives waited in frightened silence as alarms rang out around them.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

"If I didn't already know that most of the Desians are out in the woods right now, I'd be officially creeped out that this place is so empty."

Lloyd grimaced as he remembered the previous Ranch attack, where the path to the Control Room had been quiet because the guards had gone ahead to man a load of _huge_ mana guns in the final hallway. Thinking about his close call with those guns still made him wince.

He wasn't the only one wincing at the memory, though at least Genis was able to point out one good thing about their current situation.

"Well at least there isn't a lock override to deal with this time to get into the Control Room. Just up a few floors and we're there."

"Actually, there's something we have to deal with that I deliberately left out when I briefed everyone on the Ranch's layout earlier." Both boys looked at the man who was running ahead of them, a man who didn't even glance back as he continued. "That collection of 'a few floors' each have between three and four teleportation panels on them, and those panels are the only way between them. To get to the Control Room we have to use the correct panel on each floor... and each floor looks identical to the others and is monitored by laser powered cleaning units that sear every trace of foreign matter left on any surface after a person has passed, preventing intruders from leaving marks to keep track of what floor they're on. It's an ingenious system, and I just have to hope that a friend of mine was able to get in touch with their agent here inside the base... He was rather annoyed after the attack on the Asgard Ranch. He managed to warn his agents but only two got out in time... My wife's wiring efforts in the central control box led to one of them getting locked in, so obviously when the place blew up the agent was killed..." Kratos shook his head. "If he's managed to get in touch then the agent will be waiting at the first panel... if not then we'll just have to go by trial and error, hoping that there is some way, such as scratch marks on the panels perhaps, for me memorise to tell the difference between floors... If not either of those, then it's trial and error I'm afraid."

Both youths stared at the auburn haired man's back in horror. They might have to try and navigate a maze made of teleportation panels by sheer guess work and hope they get lucky? They did end up being lucky in one respect... when they got to the first room of the maze there was a Desian waiting for them.

As they watched tensely he removed his helmet, revealing violet eyes beneath a veil of green hair, and spoke in a sombre tone.

"My work as an agent within the Desians is over with this attack, so there's no reason for you not to see my face. My name is Ralin, and I've received orders from First to guide you to the Control Room. I've already appropriated the necessary key cards from some of the Desian officers, though they were rather reluctant to part with them. They won't be bothering anyone again..."

As Lloyd and Genis picked up on the implications of that last statement, Kratos walked up to the agent and looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"If you truly were given orders by First, then he'll have given you a password of sorts to tell me. If you can't provide one, then I'm afraid I'll have no choice but to assume you're a Desian attempting to deceive us."

Violet eyes met red tinged brown, the green haired man neither flinching nor wavering.

"'By Ice I sent the Blond Knight to your door, the Winged Wolf at his side, there to learn of news which concerned the coming of two, one of which was later named of my father'. I trust that proves I'm what I say I am?"

Kratos nodded, while nearby Genis and Lloyd looked on in confusion.

"It does. Very well then, lead the way, Ralin."

As Ralin proceeded to place three different coloured cards into the slots beside the teleportation panel, Genis frowned.

"What was all that about? 'By Ice I sent the Blond Knight to your door?'"

Kratos turned and looked over at him.

"It's a reference to a message two decades ago which he gave two friends of ours, the 'Blond Knight and the 'Winged Wolf', directing them to Nae Shiu after it was confirmed that both Anna and Vayla were expecting. The 'two' are Lloyd and Sheena... Lloyd was the name of his father."

"The panel's ready, we'd best not linger here." The conversation of friends and names brought to an abrupt end, the trio hurried onto the panel to stand beside the agent. No sooner than they had done so that he activated it and they found themselves in a square room which had paths extending from corner to corner, and nothing but black, bottomless seeming pits in the gaps that remained. Ralin looked at the nearest. "They only look bottomless. In truth they're only three feet deep, but the dense dark mana covering their bottoms creates the illusion that they're much deeper. Land in that mana... and you'll be killed by it in less than three seconds, so watch your step."

Lloyd picked up his pace a little, to catch up to and walk just behind the agent as he led them to the correct panel out of the two others in the room.

"So how many more of these rooms are there?"

Ralin glanced back at him.

"Three more, and then the high security cell block. There are only three cells in there, but Magnius uses them to keep those he's interrogating close by. They wear special collars that only let them use the panels between the Control Room and the cell block itself, and the only way to remove those collars is a key that Magnius keeps on his person at all times... If he's used the pilgrims as bait, and to also get revenge for you saving that woman back in Palmacosta, then chances are that her daughter is in that cell block. We'll have to take her with us into the Control Room, since from there Magnius can gas the cell block with just a few button pushes. It also means that we'll have to go through the cell block as quickly as possible. There aren't any cameras in there or these rooms for him to see us with, but there's no sense in pushing our luck."

They stepped onto the next panel, appearing in a room that looked identical to the previous. As again they walked to the next panel the agent indicated, Kratos commented into the following silence.

"I see First saw to make sure you were well informed, or have you just been snooping around while Magnius wasn't paying attention?"

Ralin grinned.

"A little of both. Once First had given me some basic info, along with my orders, I put a few thoughts and things together and figured out that the woman's daughter may be in the high security cell block. Once I did that, I hacked the computer system and got the schematics of all the systems in that area. That's how I found out about the gassing system and the lack of security cameras. Hacking the system is a sure fire way to lead to blown cover for an agent, but I only did it once I calculated that you would be about a week away since it would take longer than that for Magnius' lackeys to discover the breach. That was four days ago, so I guess my estimate was pretty close."

By this point they had passed through two more panels. With the third they again found themselves in a room of similar design, but this time the three other corners of the room had cages set into them, and one of the cages was occupied.

The young woman within raced to the front of her prison, her brown hair dishelved and her previously bright yellow dress now rumpled and stained.

"It's you! The ones who saved my mom!" Her look of hope turned to one which you would give a person you believed to be insane. "_What are you doing in here?! How did you get in here?!_"

Kratos ran over to her cell, ripping the door off its hinges with his bare hands much to the shock of the occupant.

"The Chosen was most upset when she learned that the pilgrimage group, and you along with them, had been taken by the Desians. When she insisted on mounting a rescue, an action she would have taken even if I had objected, naturally as a member of her escort I agreed to aid her in that endeavour. As did all other members of her escort. Right now she and three others from our group are getting the prisoners out. Lloyd, Genis, and I came up here to deal with Magnius and to set the Ranch's self destruct mechanism. The Desian's won't be using this place again once we're done here."

As he led her out of the cell, she continued to stare at him in surprise until Lloyd spoke.

"The Chosen, Collette, is the blond girl who was with us that day. Chocolat, you ran off before we had a chance to introduce ourse..."

"Save the chit chat for later! We need to get going before we're discovered here and Magnius gases us!"

Ralin was waving them urgently to the panel in the centre of the room, the sight of it causing Chocolat to finger the band of rune covered metal around her neck.

"I can't go down to get out. I tried once when a guard lost his grip on me but it didn't work."

Kratos grabbed her by the wrist and tugged her towards the panel.

"The collar only lets you go between here and the Control room. Ralin tells us that Magnius has the key. You're coming with us, but obviously you need to find a corner and hide in it once the fight starts."

They were all in place, and just before he activated the panel, Ralin put his hand on her shoulder.

"Stay near me and I'll do my best to protect you. I'd probably get in the way of Kratos' strategies if I tried to fight Magnius with them anyway."

He shifted one of his feet as he had done several times already, using it to press on a rune engraved in the centre of the panel. The customary lurch later and they were in the control room, which mirrored its Asgard counterpart down to almost the last detail. That detail was the half a dozen additional teleportation panels set at equal intervals around the edge of the room, all of which glowed with the promise of the arrival of imminent trouble.

"So you've come to make good on your threat, Kratos... A pity that part of your little scheme has backfired."

The Aluran prince inhaled sharply as a nearby projector activated to reveal two views, Vayla and Collette in one, and Sheena and Raine in the other. Both pairs were surrounded by huddled prisoners, and could be seen trying to open doors. Their expressions spoke clearly of their lack of success, and of how long they'd been trying and failing. His expression of surprise turning to one of anger, he glared at the back of the chair set behind the master control terminal at the far side of the room.

"You knew!"

"Knew that your little group would try to rescue the host bodies?" The chair spun around, revealing a rather smug faced scarlet haired Cardinal. "You're far too predictable when it comes to those pathetic inferior beings. I knew that if I kept my eye on them that I'd catch at least some of your group, and I knew that you _wanted_ me to send all of my troops out into those woods. That little band of dwarves is doomed, and all in vain. You're little rescue effort has failed, _Kratos! _No dwarf can beat those of elven blood in a forest!"

The auburn haired swordsman allowed himself a small smile.

"On the contrary, the forest out there is scattered with many rocks, ridges, and outcroppings, and combined with the trees that gives the dwarves an overwhelming advantage... Contrary to belief, dwarves are actually pretty hopeless at fighting in close quarters such as tunnels. They like to have room to properly swing their heavy weapons, to move easily in their bulky armour, and with Gnome's blessings as his chosen Earth Folk they can hide as easily among those trees as your half-elven troops can... Once you add to that the fact that it's dark out there, it's _your_ forces who are doomed."

Magnius' expression twisted with rage, before an amused sneer plucked at his mouth.

"Well then, I guess I'll just have to pay you back for that by killing your dear friends down in the cell blocks."

Kratos tensed, as Lloyd, Genis, and Chocolat looked on in confusion.

"You wouldn't!"

Magnius laughed.

"Oh but I would... I'll unleash the exspheres on all of the host bodies and turn them into monsters!" His eyes moved to gaze at Chocolat, who was staring at him in horror. "...Just like what happened to your dear Marble..."

She froze, but still somehow her voice made it out in the barest of whispers.

"You mean, Grandma was...?"

He nodded.

"That's right, your dead grandmother was sent to the Iselia Ranch, and after Lloyd and Genis there attacked a Desian on the edge of Iselia's lands, Marble was one of the two host bodies who were turned into monsters to be used to punish them. But after Lloyd proved that the Desian was some useless flunky who had brought the attack on himself by toying around at the border, Lord Forcystus had both host bodies slain and left where they fell because they were of no use anymore... So you see, it's all their fault. If they hadn't attacked that Desian then your grandmother would still be alive... She's dead because of _them_."

Lloyd turned to the girl, trying to explain.

"Wait, it didn't happen like that! Marble is still..."

"Stay away from me!" Chocolat was backing away from her rescuers, oblivious to the panel behind her, and oblivious to the sudden look of inspiration on Magnius' face as the fingers of one hand began to dance over one of his control terminal's keyboards. "I want nothing to do with you! My Grandma's _dead_ because of you!"

Genis took a step towards her now, desperate to tell her the truth.

"Magnius is lying! It's not true!"

"I don't believe you!" Her backward passage brought her to the edge of the panel. "Keep away from... Ahhh!"

The moment her steps took her to the centre of the panel it lit up, a strange series of symbols blazing into life on the floor around it. A flash of light later, and Chocolat had vanished without a trace.

"Oh dear, what a shame... I don't know what you were trying to tell her, but you're out of luck now." All of them turned to glare at the Cardinal. He smirked back at them. "She's now at the Iselia Ranch... While lesser prisoners are sent over land, important ones can be sent directly between the Iselia, Asgard, and Palmacosta Ranches via teleportation panels. All it requires is the authorisation code of one of the Grand Cardinals."

Lloyd made to lunge at Magnius, but was held in place by his father, instead shouting with a mixture of anger and frustration.

"You bastard! _Marble isn't dead!_ _Vayla saved her!_"

Magnius blinked in surprise, before his amusement returned.

"Well now, isn't that ironic, and now that poor girl hates you for something that hasn't actually happened."

Ralin stepped forward, a snarl of rage on his face.

"I've heard enough of this monster's talking. Time we dealt with him!"

Magnius looked at him, taking note that the man was wearing the uniform of one of his own men.

"So I had a Renegade spy in my ranks after all, and it seems you decided to put your lot in with these fools... You'd have done better to run, you might have survived getting through the forest, but you certainly won't live to walk out of here."

He pressed a key on the terminal before him, all seven of the room's teleportation panels flaring as each brought forth a number of Desians. As the four of them backed away from the panel they'd entered by, Kratos, Lloyd, Genis, and Ralin could only watch grimly as this new threat came at them from all sides. They were completely surrounded, and by what easily totalled more that a hundred Desians. No sooner than this had become clear then a strange song reached their ears. Three of them turning to look, they saw that Kratos was singing, and as his voice filled the room a golden shield surrounded them.

Glancing at them, he directed a thought at his son.

**You and Genis use your spells. I'll keep them back until there are few enough of them to deal with in close combat.**

Taking up his casting stance, Lloyd did as he was told, beginning with the obvious.

"Light of mana, protect the souls who stand by me! ALLIED SANCTUARY!" He looked at Genis as silver light washed over the four of them beneath the shield. "Throw out a couple of the big ones once I've bunched them up with small ones."

Genis' expression became determined as he took up a casting stance of his own, his kendama moving with practiced rhythm in his grip. Meanwhile all Ralin could do was watch, wondering what the heck the pair had planned as Lloyd threw out a barrage of instantly cast lightning spells that had the Desians dodging frantically in what appeared to be an aimless pattern. Even as he watched he could see that they were too widely spread among the attackers to force them to group up.

Just then, Genis' voice caught his attention.

"Ready!"

The green haired half-elf looked at the mage and the crackling red spell circle beneath him, taking note that the boy was trembling from the effort of delaying the conclusion of the spell. Turning his attention back to Lloyd, he saw his eyes narrow as the already disordered mass of Desians suddenly came rushing towards the shield with a barrage of lightning on their heels. In seconds they were tripping over each other in the chaos, falling into a tangled mass, a mass that was rather neatly packed into a fairly small area.

Lloyd grinned.

"Go for it, Genis!"

Genis didn't need telling twice. Mana crackled around him, as his voice rang out to fill the chamber.

"INDIGNATION!"

The Desians on one side of their group were engulfed, before with a look of confusion Ralin did a double take.

"Lightning? But the spell circle was red..."

"EXPLOSION!"

The whole room shook as just seconds after lightning had torn into the Desians on one side, those on the other were struck by an immense ball of fire.

"What the?!"

The next second Ralin found himself being handed a semi-comatose mage by Lloyd, who answered his question.

"He spell stored Indignation before casting Explosion. That's why he was shaking so much," he glanced down at his friend, "and why he's passed out. Look after him, ok? We'll take care of the rest."

It was then that the agent realised that the shield was gone, and that Kratos had spent those few seconds making short work of the few Desians that had been outside the target areas of the spells... None of those that were inside those areas were in any condition to move, even if they _had_ survived the hit.

The last few dealt with, Kratos looked over to where Magnius was now charging towards him with axe at the ready.

To say the Cardinal was angry was an understatement.

"_KRATOS!!_"

The axe came over and down, striking so hard that the metal floor where Kratos had been a moment before completely caved in. In a flare of light the Inartu appeared again behind Magnius, only to have to duck as that axe was ripped free of the floor to come around in a horizontal sweep that would have cleaved his head from his shoulders. It continued it's path, coming around again in a lower arc and forcing Kratos to jump up and over the Cardinal to land outside of the weapon's range.

Taking one look at what had just taken less than three seconds, Lloyd backed up a step.

"Um, I think I might just get in the way of that... I'll keep an eye out in case more Desians come out of the panels."

Ralin nodded dumbly.

"That would probably be a good idea..."

Again the floor shook as Magnius' huge axe bit deep into it, again Kratos leaping agilely out of its path as the Cardinal snarled in frustration.

"Stop running away and fight me, you coward!"

Kratos regarded him with a level stare.

"If that's what you truly want, then you can deal with the consequences... I _was_ going to give you a one-on-one fight with a level playing field, but if you want me to go all out then so be it..."

The next instant Magnius was staggering backward, and then slammed forwards, up into the air, back again, into the floor, and through it all each strike was preceded by the faintest flash of light and a blurred glimpse of auburn and azure. For a full twenty seconds the Cardinal was being struck easily ten times a second, juggled about like a rag doll by something so fast it was near impossible to see, and the moment after the last strike sent him crashing to the floor he was pinned there by the blade of flaming sword that was the last thing he saw streaking towards his head.

Standing there over the now dead Cardinal, breathing hard with exertion, was Kratos.

Lloyd swallowed hard.

"Ouch... Man he didn't stand a chance. After all, how could he have hit someone who was only solid for the split second needed to make each hit. He got what he asked for though... Which is why I guess people say to 'be careful what they wish for...'"

Yanking his sword out of the Cardinal and the floor beneath him, Kratos then strode over to the master terminal, a few rapid key presses unlocking the doors of the cell blocks. Looking over at the still active projector, he could see Vayla and the others leading the captives out. He pressed a few more keys, before dropping to sit where Magnius had been sat just a few minutes before to regain his breath.

"We need to give them time to get some distance, and to tell the dwarves to retreat out of the blast range. It should be obvious to them that we have control over this place."

Ralin came over, still carrying Genis.

"What the heck was that you were doing with Magnius?"

Kratos looked down at him from his place at the terminal.

"You saw what I did to escape that first attack?" The agent nodded. "All I did was that a number of times per second, hitting him between each jump, hence why it was so tiring. Lloyd's seen me do it before, back at the Balacruft Mausoleum." An awkward silence followed, with no one speaking for several minutes as Kratos set about hacking his way through the password protection on the self destruct system. No sooner than he was done than he made a hand gesture. "Dallinius!"

Said wolf cub appeared on his shoulder.

"You called."

"Are the prisoners and the dwarves far enough away?"

"Yes."

"Fine then."

He turned his attention back to the terminal, pressing several keys before he did as he had done at Asgard. He blew out the window above them, before in a blur of wings he swooped down, took Genis from Ralin, handed him to Lloyd, and then hauled the startled agent up into the sky with a mage carrying Lloyd following behind...

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

The group sat around the campfire, those able to do so solemnly eating the simple meal Lloyd had cooked for them. Vayla and Sheena had been occupied with talking to Collette, about the next Seal from what he'd been able to hear. With the Ranch now dealt with, he wasn't surprised that his friend's mind would again begin to dwell on the path she would have to take next. Kratos had spoken briefly with Ralin, before heading off to the nearest Sentinel to arrange for a jiisumura to take the half-elf to the Triet Base, where Yuan would no doubt give the man some resting time before finding him a new assignment, probably with one of the field units now that he would be no good for undercover work. Raine had been busy watching over Genis, who was still asleep after the stunt back inside the Ranch had made him pass out... That's what she'd called it, a 'stupid stunt', and it was another thing he didn't doubt that she would give both him and Genis a good talking too once the mage had woken up. Basically it had left just him to cook something, what with the Spirits and the Protozoans in the group not exactly being able to stir the contents of a cooking pot.

Setting his now empty bowl down, Lloyd looked over at the Renegade.

"Thanks for your help in there. I have no idea of how long it would have taken if you hadn't helped us through that teleporter maze to get to the Control Room. We probably only succeeded because you were there."

Ralin set his own bowl down, grimacing a little.

"I wouldn't say that. Given what I've heard about your old man, I'm sure he'd have gotten in there somehow... Even if he'd had to blast his way up there."

"Lloyd... You still haven't explained exactly what happened in there... and what this 'Desian' has to do with it..."

Lloyd's attention moved to Raine as he spoke with a note of disapproval.

"Raine..."

"It's alright, if there wasn't at least one person suspicious of me in this group I'd wonder at how you managed to get as far as you have." Ralin regarded her. "My name is Ralin, and I'm a member of an organisation that opposes the Desians. Some of us work on the outside, raiding their supply convoys, helping prisoners escape, and others, like me, work on the inside to gather the information that helps those on the outside work more effectively and at the same time stay safe. We're called the Renegades, and we've been around for a very long time. Beyond that there's nothing I can tell you, not without First's permission."

Raine didn't look completely convinced, but still, if Kratos had trusted the man then his story must be true.

"'First'?"

The agent obliged, answering as best he could.

"The leader of the Renegades, 'First' in command. We never call them by their name, for security reasons obviously. The lives of the Renegades are steeped in secrecy, and none more so than those of their leaders. But it's a life we choose freely, and for the sake of stopping the Desians and saving as many of their victims as we can. We keep our heads down, since even without the population knowing about us we still have some pretty big targets painted on our backs. We manage though." He turned and looked over at Collette, who was clearly curious about this new group of people. "You've got quite a reputation back at our headquarters, Chosen. There are some among our number who look on at your efforts against the Desians with admiration. Brinia especially, she's Chief of the Medical Staff, and according to the rumour mill she badgers First all the time if they don't let her know how you're doing with your journey. She's the better part of a hundred and fifty years old, and to know you face what you do despite being so young, she admires you for your courage. Her biggest regret though would have to be that she can't help you, her duties to the Renegades make it impossible."

Collette looked startled.

"There's someone in your group who admires me? For my courage?" She turned her eyes away, looking instead into the nearby fire. "I only hope I don't disappoint her. I just hope I can succeed in passing the trials still ahead of me."

He smiled.

"I'm sure you will, after all you have four alurannai helping you. They want Sylvarant to live just as much as you do, and they'll aid you in whatever way they can." The sound of wings reached their ears, Kratos and an alurannai woman landing at the edge of the camp. Ralin recognised her as being one of the jiisumura from the North Triet Sentinel. "Well it seems my ride is here, so I guess this is farewell."

He got up, walking towards the waiting jiisumura only to pause as Collette scrambled to her feet.

"When you get back to your base... tell Brinia I said 'thank you for believing in me'."

His expression softened as he nodded.

"I will."

With that he and the jiisumura left, Collette watching him go with a thoughtful expression.

"While I've only just learned they exist, if the Renegades have people like him, and that woman Brinia who he spoke of, then I truly believe that they're good people. From now on I'm fighting for their sakes too, facing whatever I must, without hesitation, so that Brinia can continue to think highly of me. I won't disappoint her."

Kratos came over to her side as she sat down again, sitting beside her before placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure she'd be glad to hear you say that, and will be truly touched by the message you sent to her with Ralin." He looked at the group sat around the fire. "If we're all in agreement then the Journey of Regeneration will continue in a few hours once the sun has risen. I've spoken to the dwarves and they'll be setting off for Virrshim with the rescued captives once they've rested a little, and have prepared the twenty warriors who were killed in the battle for transport... That squad were hit by a group spell, right near the end of the fight when the last few Desian spell casters figured to throw everything they had left at them. I've already given sympathies on everyone's behalf to Captain Ganler."

Collette looked at the ground, her expression saddened.

"If they can carry on with their task in the new day, then so can I." She looked up at him. "Just tell me where I need to go next and I'll go."

The hand on her shoulder lifted, coming to rest in the Inartu's lap as he looked at her.

"The place you must go next, is Thodasa..."

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

**Alaia Skyhawk: Chappie done! Ok, now for the next one, lol. :D**


	45. Seashore City

**Alaia Skyhawk: Here we go, second chapter in a day. :D**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 45: Seashore City

-

The streets were quiet, the late night hour of their arrival in Thodasa ensuring that there were only a few city guards awake to note their passage. It had been two and a half weeks since the Ranch had been destroyed, and word had been brought by a jiisumura that the people who had been captive there had made it safely to Virrshim and would soon be taken to Palmacosta once their exspheres were safely removed and they had had some time to rest. It was one more weight off the group's minds, and it let them concentrate now on what had to be done next in their journey.

Kratos was at the front, Vayla behind him, and the two of them had had the faintest hints of a smile on their faces from the moment the group had arrived in the city, and it was now seriously starting to get Raine wondering as the pair took them down a twisting side street.

"Why in the name of all that's holy are you acting so secretive? You like a pair of teenagers planning a prank or something."

They stopped outside a small shop, Vayla grinning as she spoke.

"We just haven't done this in a long time." She glanced at her crèche mate. "Bets on 'fall out'."

Kratos sighed.

"Fine, if it's 'fall out' then I'll be the one to scrub all the road dirt off Noishe, but if it isn't then you have to."

The Arshis at the back of the group snorted in disgust at being used in a bet, while Collette frowned in confusion.

"'Fall out'?"

Vayla laughed.

"You'll see." She rapped firmly on the door, loud enough to wake whoever was inside. A split second later there was an exclamation of surprise... followed by a curse and the thud of said person hitting the floor. Vayla grinned victoriously. "Have fun washing Noishe, Kratos. I win, they 'fell out' of bed."

The auburn haired man sighed in resignation before at his signal the both of them whistled an odd tune. Seconds later the shutters above them slammed open and a sleep-tussled head of hair poked out as a man looked down at them for a split second before disappearing from view. A short interval after this they heard him clattering down the stairs inside before the door in front of them opened.

He stared at them in awe.

"As I live and breathe... It's _you!_ You haven't visited our family for over two hundred years! Come in, come in!"

Raine looked a little baffled.

"You know Kratos and Vayla?"

The man looked at her as the rest of the group entered the shop.

"Not personally, at least not until today. My family have been their friends ever since they and their group rescued my ancestor and helped him to get here safely back during the Kharlan War. My ancestor promised them that our family would never sell this shop, and that if Kratos and his friends needed any help then they could come to us. The tune they whistle is the one that my ancestor taught them, and which has been passed down through the family. It's been a long time since their last visit though."

Kratos came back out of the building to take Raine by the arm and lead her inside so the man could close the door.

"We've been rather busy the last couple of centuries and Vayla is the only one who's been in this area during that time and it was only to gather certain herbs that tend to grow better in the Thodasa Mountains than in pots back at Nae Shiu." He looked at the man. "We need to buy some supplies, and also to borrow your attic rooms for a couple of nights if that's not an inconvenience."

The man smiled.

"Not a problem at all. My name's Illun, and my wife and son are Elsa and Jan. I'll introduce you to them in the morning." His expression became enquiring. "Do you happen to have a list of what supplies you need?"

With a small smile Kratos produced a slip of paper from a pocket, handing it to Illun.

"Don't stay awake on account of it. We'll be here until the morning after tomorrow so there's plenty of time to sort it out."

Illun wasn't really listening as he waved the swordsman towards the stairs, muttering to himself as he read the list. Leaving him to it, Kratos headed up one set and then another to arrive at a tiny slant-ceilinged hallway between two rooms. A glance through the open door of one revealed the girls in the group settling in as Vayla produced camp beds from her ver, and so he strolled into the other where Lloyd had done the same.

With a sigh Kratos settled himself on the 'sill of the room's single window, set into the slanted ceiling, looking out over this coastal city as he had done so many times so long ago.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

"I thought I told you not to stay awake sorting out that list? Your wife is probably going to threaten me with something dreadful if she sees you like that."

Kratos was looking down at a bleary-eyed Illun, who was currently sprawled across the shop counter with his toes just touching the floor. In the corner of the room there was a large pile of supplies, everything that had been on the list, and said list was now in the merchant's hand with prices scribbled beside each item and a total noted at the bottom.

Illun chuckled wearily, though he didn't get up. Kratos would bet he was too tired to.

"Ah well, I guess I got a little carried away. I only meant to work out the special prices for your group and ended up getting everything out of the store room to check that my prices matched the quality of the goods... and since I had it out of the store room I decided to just carry on and get everything counted out and packed ready for you."

Shaking his head, Kratos got a couple of small bags of coin out of his ver, along with a small vial which gave off a faint if rather vile smell once he uncorked it.

"Hold your nose and drink it. That stuff could possibly raise the dead, so it should have no trouble getting you up and about... Just don't tell Vayla I gave you it. If she asks, I came down to find you making yourself a cup of coffee and helped you assemble the supplies... The smell of the coffee will hide the smell of that. I'll go brew some while you drink it."

He walked off through the back door of the shop, to where he knew the family's living area and kitchen were beside the entrance to the store rooms. Watching him go, Illun turned his attention back to the tiny vial left standing on the counter beside the bags of coin. Pushing himself to his feet unsteadily, he reached out and picked it up before with a shrug he tipped the contents into his mouth and swallowed.

Two seconds later he was standing there bug-eyed, wide awake, and wheezing as he attempted to get his breath back after the mule he was sure was inside the vial had kicked him in the stomach... and over it all was a taste he was sure would match the bottom of a garbage bin. Still gagging he picked up the bags of coin and put them in a draw with the list, before staggering towards where the smell of coffee was coming from the back rooms. Hopefully it would get rid of the awful taste in his mouth.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

After the quiet of the previous night the bustle in the streets was a sharp contrast. Much like Palmacosta, Thodasa was built along a shoreline which was dotted with numerous piers at which ships of all shapes and sizes were docked. One main difference though seemed to be an unusual number of people wearing cloaks bearing symbols of those devout to the Scriptures of Martel.

Seeing the curiosity in the eyes of those following behind him, Kratos began to explain.

"Thoda Geyser is the most popular and accessible of the 'Seal Shrines' as the Scriptures call them. Unlike the Triet Ruins and the Balacruft Mausoleum, there is no difficult terrain to cross to get to it, and unlike the Tower of Mana, which is preferred by those with scholarly interests, there are regular trips held between this city and Thoda Island. It is traditional that those who follow the Scriptures visit one of the Seal Shrines at some point during their lives, and for the reasons I just mentioned, Thoda is the easiest to get to. It's where this city gets part of it's name. Thodasa, the Pilgrim's City... Though it's had that name for a lot longer than the Church has existed, and I'm taking you to show you part of the reason why."

They were close to the heart of the city here, close to where the streets extended outwards from the central square where the city's market was held. Nothing appeared to be that special, and certainly it wasn't the great angel statue that stood in the middle of the square.

Stopping next to a line of buildings, right where the street met market, Kratos glanced around furtively before indicating that they should join hands in a line. No sooner than they had done it that he seemed to run _into_ the wall, dragging them all in after him. Genis, Raine, and Collette all gaped in surprise as they found themselves in a street wide enough to allow a wagon to pass, the road they'd just stepped from clearly visible behind them, and yet no one on that road could see them.

The half-elven woman turned to Kratos in confusion.

"What is this? Why can't anyone out there see this?"

Vayla looked at her and smiled, lifting an arm to point at the walls.

"The Alurannai hid it just after the rise of the Church of Martel, to protect it, and if you take a closer look at the walls you'll see why."

The startled trio did as she'd said, coming face to face with elaborate carvings depicting the various Greater Summon Spirits and the Forces they governed. The walls were literally covered in them, and not anywhere was there the image of an angel. It was the Spirits and the Forces alone that were shown, which mean this place was dedicated to the ways from before the rise of Cruxis.

Lloyd walked up to one of the pictures and ran his fingers over it as he took a closer look.

"Sheena and I were taught about this place when we were little. It's the biggest shrine to the Way of the Forces in the entire world; it's bigger even than the Cathedral of Souls. The Church would have destroyed it if they'd been able to find it, which is why the Alurannai hid it." He smiled. "This is just the entrance. Come on, let's go see the rest!"

He charged off down the empty street, rounding the bend where an arch spanned the gap between the overlooking walls. Kratos, Vayla, Sheena, and the Protozoans followed, leaving Raine, Genis, and Collette standing there. After a moment's hesitation, Raine began to walk after them, causing her brother to look up at her in surprise.

"But, Raine, the Scriptures say that to knowingly go into a pagan shrine is a sin against the word of Martel. That the shrines are full of lies and shouldn't be entered in case those lies make the devout stray from the Path of Light."

Raine glanced back at him.

"They also say 'Martel, Goddess of Hope. She who cherishes all life and looks upon all with equal favour'. Martel loves all people, even those who do not follow her. Surely she would not object to those who do, seeking to understand those who do not. Understanding brings friendship, and friendship brings peace, isn't that right, Collette?"

The blond haired girl nodded, setting off down the passage.

"Raine's right, and besides, when one's faith is strong then you can never be led astray from the path. This place is special to Lloyd and the others, and I'd like to see why, to understand."

With some muffled grumbling, Genis followed after them, walking beside them as they passed beneath the arch and rounded the bend only for all three to stop in stunned amazement as they stepped into the sunlight beyond.

They were at the edge of a huge plaza, as big as the city square less than fifty yards away. White stone paving covered it, raised flower beds dotting it, the spaces between them forming paths that let to a ring of crystal spires at the plaza's centre. Each spire was a different colour, all thirteen of them splitting the light that hit them into shards of glory that patterned the walls surrounding this place in an endlessly changing mosaic of patterns as varied in shades as the flowers filling the beds. Looking up they realised that the walls did more than surround this place; they supported vast arches that reached up in impossibly delicate spans to meet directly above the spires, the space between them intentionally left empty so that the glow of sun, moon, and stars could always cast its light here. The whole structure defied all normal limits of construction, which meant only one thing, this place was being sustained and held together by the will of the Summon Spirits themselves.

Collette stared at it in wonder, awed by what lay before her.

"That the Church would destroy something so beautiful... but if the Spirits are looking after this place, when they are the Protectors of the Seals as well, must mean that Martel doesn't object to it. The Scriptures say the Spirits serve her, so if they keep this place alive, she must want them to."

Genis, while awed, wasn't as convinced.

I dunno, this place is amazing and all, but with the way you're gawking at it I'd say if you were asked to follow that 'Way of the Forces' right now you'd be really tempted... And you're the _Chosen_, the most devout member of all the Church."

Collette flinched, turning to look at him guiltily.

"I'm... I'm sorry. It's just that it's so beautiful, and so pure, how could anything like this be bad?"

"Hey, stop being such party poopers and come on! You're in here so you might as well come see the spires up close"

The trio started as two small spirits, a while wolf and a fox, darted past them to race between the flowers and up the steps to the edge of the circle of spires, to where they could now see the alurannai and protozoans from their group standing there looking up at them. Making a decision, Raine followed them as Genis reached out as if to stop her. She ignored him though, breaking into a run as she passed beneath the shadow of one of the arches above, reaching the base of the steps shortly after and climbing them to stand looking down into the depression between the spires. What she saw made her gasp in wonder, it even brought it to the faces of Genis and Collette when they caught up and came to a stop beside her.

It was like looking through a window, down upon a glade surrounded by a white wall, dappled by the shadows of trees whose unseen branches must be hanging above it. The land within the glade sloped, down to where a stream could be seen passing out though a small arch in the white span. The stream came from a spring at the top of the slope, a stream surrounded by four trees, and the traces of others long gone to dust.

Seeing the trees, Genis frowned.

"Why is one of them dead? And that other one looks really ill."

Kratos' voice drifted over to them from where he stood nearby, a hint of past sorrow held within it.

"Those are the Trees of the Nartana, and the view you can see from this place is the Heart of the Citadel, the centre of Alahnsyr, in Aluran. It is the source of all the water used by the people in the Citadel, or at least was before Alahnsyr was destroyed at the start of the Kharlan War and my people retreated within the great Shield Ring of Aluran. Those trees stand guard over the spring, and the Spirits stand guard over the trees and the glade. Each member born into the Nartana adds a tree attuned to their mana on the day after they reach their second danne. The dead tree was my atasi's, Khalin's, and it died when he did. The ailing tree is my inatasi's, Breuntas', and it sickens because he is old and nearing the end of his life... Of the two others, the largest is mine, and as you can see that as I am healthy it is flourishing, as is the smaller one, which is attuned to Anna, which I planted there for her a short time after we married."

"Indeed, for adopted into the Nartana as she was, she too became a guardian of the Heart of the Citadel."

As one they all looked up as the voice came from overhead, Genis actually stumbling backwards and falling over at the sight of the huge brown dragon that had suddenly appeared to perch atop the spires.

The members of the group from the Offspring Races all bowed their heads, Kratos being the first to look up again and address the Dragon.

"Lord Krishka, I'll admit I wasn't expecting you to visit, though I'm happy to say that I'm glad you did. It's been a while, and that last time we crossed paths wasn't exactly the time to chat, not with my being busy with the duties I had to attend to before joining up with Vayla to help escort the Chosen."

The Summon Spirit gave them a draconic smile, remembering the incident of keeping Volt immobile so that Kratos could install the mana link backups.

"All things in their time and place, Kratos, and I had some spare time so I thought I would check up on how you were doing."

Genis was still staring in shock as he began to stutter.

"T-The Summon Spirit of Life just d-decides to check up on someone? But I thought that..."

Krishka regarded him with a single, huge azure eye.

"That the Summon Spirits were remote from the people, seeing them all as just a mass of people, all the same, and of little individual consequence?" Genis' silence said it all. Krishka continued in an amused tone. "Far from it. The Greater Summon Spirits all take great interest in the people, of all races, and while we each do have our favourites we all still see each person as a significant individual with their own part to play in the world. Be it a small part, or a large one, it still makes a difference, and that's what counts. That is the way of the Life of the Forces, to look upon all things as having meaning and purpose, to accept that all things born have a right to exist in harmony." He looked down at the Inartu and his son. "In the case of the Nartana, I have a particularly close bond. I am the Summon Spirit of Life, and the Nartana are the ones who created me."

Kratos and Lloyd nearly choked on that statement while the two half-elves and the Chosen began to splutter, Raine being the only one to get anything intelligible out of her mouth.

"The Nartana _created you?!_ How is that possible?"

Krishka continued to smile. He was enjoying giving these three a perspective change; the boy, Genis, had been far too fixed in his viewpoint.

"The answer comes in the summoning chant used by them to call me. 'I call upon the Incarnation of the Spirits of the Past. The Guardian of the Hope and Promise of New Life.' I am as the chant says, the incarnation of many souls bound together for a common purpose. Those souls are the souls of the Nartana, for even after their time comes they continue to uphold their Oath of Service, becoming a part of me to watch over the world in death, just as they watched over the Alurannai in life." He spread his wings, a few idle beats lifting him clear of the spires so that he could glide down to land next to the group. Once settled, he brought his head close to the Chosen and the two half-elves. "Things are not always as they appear, for if you take a closer look at me you will see I speak the truth, and if you look carefully enough, you will see someone who a person you know closely resembles."

For a moment the dragon became indistinct, like a shadow, like looking into a room from outside a window. In that moment the trio saw many people, who grew hazy the further they were away, but the man at the front was clear, and he looked a great deal like the man standing behind them.

The three turned to look at Kratos, though he refused to meet their gaze.

"...My father, Khalin... His death is recent enough that he remains identifiable within Krishka, but given a few more millennia he will become as blurred as the rest. His will and consciousness entirely merged with that of the Summon Spirit of Life. It is the fate of all members of the Nartana, and one we consider to be an honour. That even when our lives end, we can still in some way watch over the world we cherish so much. Such is part of the Life of the Forces... the way of life that the Church condemns when it encounters it... If only they knew what you know now, though you aren't going to be telling it to them."

Genis was staring at him dumbfounded, Collette horrified, but not at what she'd just learnt.

"Why are you hiding it?! The Church reveres' the Summon Spirit of Life as a guardian of all, and you just sit back and hide the fact that that very guardian was formed by the will of a bloodline by following the ways that the Church calls heresy?"

Krishka gently touched the tip of his nose to her shoulder, causing her to turn in surprise.

"It is by _my_ will that it is hidden, not theirs. I knew, long ago when I first came into being, that if people knew of my origins they might seek to harm or control the Nartana. The Nartana are the Safeguards of the Giant Tree, and I could not allow them to be endangered, so I created a geas of sorts whereby, if I will it, I can stop those whom I tell of their secret with my own voice from speaking of it. That is what Kratos meant when he said you aren't going to tell anyone, because having told you with my own voice, you can only speak of it if I let you." He lifted his head away from them, backing up a couple of steps before spreading his wings ready to take off. "The three of you were taking too much that was before you at face value, not allowing yourselves to see what else lay beneath. Don't scorn the ways of others if you don't understand them. That is the lesson I would have you learn, and learn it well for it might be the most important one you ever encounter."

A few thunderous wing beat, a blast of wind, and a flare of light later and he was gone, leaving three very stunned people staring after him. The Offspring members were a little more composed.

"I don't think I've _ever_ seen him that ticked off..."

Lloyd was frowning, though he stopped when Sheena came to stand beside him.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. His voice may not of sounded it, but he was definitely angry about something... or at someone..."

As the two of them looked down at him, Genis scrambled to his feet looking rather anxious as he glanced nervously to where the dragon had been a moment before. Hesitating a little, he then looked in Lloyd's direction with a hint of guilt.

"Sorry... for not thinking about your feelings. I'm supposed to be your friend, and yet when it comes to your beliefs I've been acting like a total jerk... That's why you've never openly said much about them near me, isn't it?"

All four of the alurannai present grimaced a little, Vayla being the one to speak.

"Well, when we saw how devout you were we didn't think it would be tactful to rub your noses in our ways, so we kept anything like our blessings, and the reciting of the darshensi, out of sight and earshot of you."

"And all the while we were rubbing your noses in ours..." Genis sighed. "I want you to do whatever 'Life of the Forces' stuff you want to in front of me from now on. I won't mind."

Collette smiled beside him.

"Same here. You are who you are, and you have the right to be everything that you are without hiding anything. After all, this is kind of like how humans have disliked half-elves for so long, only this time it's the Church and those who look to the Forces. If humans can begin accepting half-elves the way they have, then why not the Church and those like you?"

It was at that moment that something occurred to a certain auburn haired swordsman.

**Krishka, you sneak. That little speech of yours wasn't just to enlighten Genis and Collette... You **_**knew**_** Collette would connect the idea to the human/half-elf situation. I know that girl and I can guarantee that that idea will be mentioned in the next letter she sends home to her grandmother; and knowing High Priestess Phidra she'll be all too happy to start incorporating it into the Church's new doctrine about 'accepting those that are different'.**

He heard a faint mental chuckle, as he and the group began to head for the plaza's exit.

**I wondered when you would spot that... one more thorn planted into Yggdrasil's side, by his own Chosen as well.**

**Just try not to give me too many headaches to deal with... I have enough as it is.**

Krishka laughed again, the sound fading into silence to leave Kratos mentally cursing the dragon, with not much more he could do.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

"Sometimes I wish I could give that dragon a good kick in the rear! How could he just dump one of his little schemes on us like that?!"

Vayla was visibly fuming, now that everyone but herself and Kratos were back at Illun's shop. She'd been perfectly happy on the surface as they'd headed back, even joining in with answering Genis' questions about the Summon Spirits and about how the Life of the Forces worked. Raine was the only one truly relieved by the revelation, since it meant that when time came that she told her brother about her conversion he was less likely to completely flip out over it. For the alurannai adults, who knew what Krishka had just done, it was just one more thing on their already overloaded plates.

Glancing at his irate crèche mate, as the two of them continued to follow Illun's directions to the pier where the ships to Thoda Island docked, he had to agree.

"I swear, if he does one more thing like this before all this is over, I'm going to personally strangle him... Even if I have to do it using his own tail!"

Vayla sighed.

"Well at least the problem of getting to Thoda Island is an easy one to solve. With regular ships going there, all we have to do is book passage for our group and we can sit back and r..."

The two of them froze as they reached the piers Illun had directed them to, and they _were_ the right ones, the 'Pilgrimage tour service' signs hanging by them made it clear they were... The problem was the ships docked there. They were tiny, barely bigger than fishing boats, and they looked as though they might fall apart at any second. Rails were chipped, ropes were showing signs of fraying in places... and they stunk... a lot.

"..."

"Eww... I am _not_ riding in any of those things... I've seen _washtubs_ more sea worthy than those!"

Vayla immediately turned and hurried in the opposite direction, Kratos hot on her heels.

"I think I'll go borrow something from Yuan... Any objections?"

Vayla shook her head as she did her best not to gag.

"None at all."

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

The doors slid open, the guards inside saluting automatically as the sand dusted man entered, before blinking as something occurred to them.

"Welcome back, Commander Kra... Sir? Why _are _you back here?"

Kratos waved at them as he headed through the next door and into the hallway beyond.

"A passing visit to borrow something I need. I won't be that long."

Heads turned in surprise as he passed, puzzled murmurs cropping up in his wake. He didn't stop though, nor slow his pace, as he continued to make a beeline for the vehicle storage area. He hadn't long begun to rummage through the various wing packs on their shelves when the rustle of a long cloak signalled the arrival of someone, which was swiftly followed by the speaking of a very familiar voice.

"Kratos, what the _heck_ are you doing here? You're supposed to be protecting the Chosen."

Kratos glanced at the turquoise haired mage who was staring at him before continuing his search of the shelves.

"I am... Protecting her from joining the ranks of those 'lost at sea'." He stopped rummaging to give Yuan a long look. "The ships that do the regular run to Thoda Island are a _joke_. They're tiny, in bad repair, and quite frankly they stink; in the cloying mildew kind of way. There's no way either Vayla or I are taking _any_ of our group onto one of those ships, so I came to borrow one of yours instead."

Yuan winced at the description; he and Kratos having sailed on a few ships like that back during the war before they'd gotten the Sea Skimmer. Taking his friend by the arm, he pulled him across the room to another set of shelves.

"The low mana variant skimmers are over here; I'll get you the largest one. Twenty meter hull, three metres wide, with an upper cabin in addition to the sub deck rooms. There's more than enough room in it for your group." He found the appropriate wing pack, handing it to the man beside him. "It's a recent build, my own project actually, so it doesn't have any identifying marks on it. Nothing to connect it to the Renegades at least."

Kratos accepted it, storing it inside his ver.

"Thanks, Yuan. Hopefully in a few more months our paths will cross again, if everything in the Tower goes to plan."

The lightning mage mimed a toast.

"Here's to hoping."

It was then that the door opened, an out of breath blond part-elf charging in to skid to a stop. Brushing a stray stand of hair out of her face, Brinia looked at Kratos with relief.

"I'd just heard you'd come into the base and headed down here. I just wanted to ask you something before you go." She walked over to him, still trying to catch her breath. "I made this a couple of weeks ago, after Ralin got back, hoping I'd get the chance to send it... If it's at all possible, could you give this to Collette?"

She held out a hand, a hand holding a simple bracelet. It was made of blue string, and what looked like strands of Brinia's blond hair.

Seeing it, and the expression of entreaty on the medic's face, Kratos picked it up and placed it in his ver as he had done the wing pack.

"I promise that I'll give it to her, and let her know who it's from, in a discrete way."

Brinia's smile was like the sun coming up, so much like the smile of her cousin.

"Thank you."

Smiling back, Kratos nodded once before heading for the door as Yuan called out after him.

"Til Crystal Waters travel..."

Kratos chuckled, replying just before the door closed behind him.

"Where Steady Wind blows... See you around Yuan, Brinia."

Yuan sighed.

"And again my best friend gets to go off and have all the fun while I'm stuck here in the base."

Brinia looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"'Fun'? You call what he's going through, 'fun'?"

The mage snorted.

"In comparison to reading reports about how many potatoes we have in storage, and how much sand the cleaning crew have removed from the entrance chamber in the past month... yes, it is."

The medic couldn't argue with that one, and it was in companionable silence that they left the store room and each headed back to their respective tasks.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

**Alaia Skyhawk: He he, wash tubs. I loved that scene in the game. It's just a pity that with the distance scale I use in this fic, washtubs would never be considered to cross to the island.**


	46. Sea Trip

**Alaia Skyhawk: And I'm still going. :D**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 46: Sea Trip

-

It was some distance from Thodasa that the group stood on the shore, Kratos having decided that to use a wing pack in view of several hundred bystanders at the city docks, when such technology was currently unheard of in Sylvarant, wouldn't be a very good idea. And so here they were, at the crack of dawn, standing in the damp, cold wind blasting along the coast.

Seeing her brother shivering, and being little better herself, Raine tapped Kratos on the shoulder to get his attention.

"Where's this ship we're supposed to be using? There's nothing here!"

He sighed, removing the wing pack he'd gotten the previous day from his ver and holding it up so she could see it. Having lived in Tethe'alla until the age of twelve, she would recognise what it was.

True to form, she did.

"A wing pack?"

He nodded.

"Yes, I visited a friend yesterday to ask if I could borrow one of his Skimmers. He ended up lending me the one he built himself. It's built to run in low mana levels, so crossing the sea in it will be simple, and a lot faster than any of the ships we might have gotten passage on back in Thodasa."

He spread his wings, gliding out over the water before activating the wing pack. It was then, in a cloud of what looked like mist, that a large, sleek ship appeared in the water. For a technologically inexperienced Genis and Collette it was a major shock. They may have been used to it with regard to things like beds and tables; this was the first time either of them had seen anything _that_ big appear out of thin air.

"No way that thing could hold something that big!"

"Wow!"

Sheena and Lloyd looked awed as well, though not for the same reason. Something that was made clear when the former of the two spoke.

"Wow, Inanu Yuan built that? All by himself? It's huge!"

Vayla began to laugh.

"With the way he was with the Skimmer we used back during the Kharlan War, fixing it up, modifying it so that it ran better, I hardly find it surprising that he built one from scratch." She glanced at Kratos. "And to think he's always teased you about your repeatedly modifying the Rhieard. What a hypocrite."

The Inartu looked rather bemused.

"I concur." He looked over at the rest of the group. "Well then, shall we get going?"

Eagerly, Collette took flight as Sheena picked up Genis to carry him to the ship as Mezo and Lloyd flew alongside. Kratos prepared a rope sling to carry Noishe, who had emphatically declared that if they made him swim to the skimmer, like that time at Crystal Point, there'd be hell to pay, while Vayla walked over to a suddenly very nervous looking Raine.

The half-elven stared at the ship queasily.

"Do I really have to go on that thing?"

Vayla, knowing about the past incident with water that made the woman scared, placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Put it this way. On that Skimmer we'll make it to Thoda Island in a week... it would have been almost two and a half on one of those ships back in Thodasa... and this one will run a lot smoother over the waves than any normal ship once we get it up to speed."

Closing her eyes and biting her lip, Raine nodded after a moment.

"Carry me over there before I change my mind."

Picking up her friend, Vayla carefully carried her over to the ship before gently settling her on the deck and murmuring in her ear.

"I'll make sure you get a cabin mid deck. There'll be less sway for you to deal with than at the bow or stern."

Raine nodded in thanks, saying nothing, although she did manage a smile when Kratos carried Noishe over to the Skimmer using the rope sling. The Arshis' legs scrabbling gratefully onto the deck as soon as they made contact. It was then that with little further ceremony, Kratos headed into the cabin section above deck and down the short hallway within to sit in the control chair in the room right at the front.

They could hear him pulling levers and pressing switches, and sure enough some mechanism caused a mast to unfold from the forward deck to snap into place directly in front of the upper cabin, a sail swiftly following to be hauled up the lines attached to it. The mast also had some strange contraption attached to it, a trio of long blade-like structures that began to circle the mast as the wind filling the sail also caught hold of them. Raine recognised what they were, having studied ancient methods of energy generation and storage a one time over the years.

"A wind turbine, to charge batteries to run a motor should the wind stop?"

Vayla nodded.

"Though I don't doubt Yuan will have added a few other energy saving tricks to this thing. There are structures on the bow that look suspiciously like Kratos' modified design for a Rhieard's mana intake, from the ones on a standard one man craft... and with thrusters' outlets on the stern it has to make me wonder if this thing even _has_ the standard hydro thrusters drive."

Raine began to look edgy.

"Um, could we talk about something else for a while?"

Vayla grimaced apologetically, before leading her friend below the deck of the gradually accelerating ship.

"Sure"

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

"So have you figured out what this thing can do yet?"

Vayla leaned over Kratos' shoulder as he sat at the Skimmer's controls, barely visible in the night-time darkness but for the light coming from several information dials across the control panel.

Kratos let out a small laugh, reaching down as he did so to flick a number of switches.

"To answer that question, yes I have, and also you were right about the hydro drive. This Skimmer doesn't have one, and puts all of his other Low Mana Variant Skimmer designs to shame... I put the sail and the wind turbine up this morning thinking we would need them, but it turns out they're there for purely recreational sailing. This thing doesn't need them."

Vayla gawked.

"You're kidding!"

He laughed again.

"I'm not... He's calculated the forces involved in propelling this thing down to the last inch. He's set three single man Rhieard mana intakes of my design in the bow, and they direct the mana into two cargo class Rhieard engines, again of my design, that are set in the stern. Another single man engine sits mid ship, just below us in fact, which runs at basic turn over speed unless the skimmer begins to tilt. If that happens, it draws off some of the mana coming from the intakes and blasts air out of the vents on either side of us to stabilise the ship should it be needed. Add all that to the fact that, weight for weight, pushing a ship over water takes less power than keeping a craft in the air, the thrust generated by those two engines from the three intakes is enough to have this thing running up on its hydrofoils even in the mana levels Sylvarant had a year and a half ago."

The alurannai woman began to shake her head.

"I've said it once and I'll say it again... Yuan is a hypocrite."

"And again I agree." Kratos was grinning with anticipation. "It's just as well you sleep spelled Raine earlier. I don't think she'd be very happy with what I'm about to do next."

A couple more switches were flicked, and a pair of levers shifted, the whine of moving cables heralding the folding away of the sail and the mast before the panel in the forward deck closed over them with a faint thud. Still grinning, as Vayla too began to smile, he shifted his grip on the steering yoke until he gripped the horizontal bar that crossed the circular wheel, placing his fingers over a set of small levers and switches which matched the standard controls of one of the aerial craft this sea going vessel had gotten its engines from.

Glancing at his crèche mate, he then pressed two of those switches in the start up sequence used for all types of Rhieard, the engines at the stern immediately whirring into life with the high pitched resonance the two of them knew all too well. It was then that he closed his fingers over all but the brake levers, throwing the engines up to full throttle. Vayla had to actually grab the back of the control chair so as to not fall over, a few startled exclamations coming from below indicating that at least a couple of the sleepers had been thrown from their bunks.

Chuckling, she patted Kratos on the shoulder.

"I think I'd better go and see if Raine needs putting back into her bunk... I just knew I should have tied her in."

Kratos turned his head to watch her go as the sea seemed to drop below them, the Skimmer reaching the speed where it would rise up onto its hydrofoils to do what its name implied; skim across the surface of the water.

"Let's hope she doesn't ask where the bruises came from when she wakes up. She's going to be upset enough as it is when she sees this thing going so fast. Though at least now we'll reach Thoda Island in five days, not seven."

Vayla set off down the steps to the lower deck.

"Small consolation for someone already scared to breaking point by travelling over water."

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

Silver spray arcing up from the wake of the Skimmer's passage, laughter joined it as three winged figures threw themselves in and out of in as they flew along behind the vessel, little noticing that Raine was practically on the verge of chewing her fingernails to the quick just from watching them. Lloyd and Sheena had taken to the wing to play among the droplets of water about an hour ago, Collette deciding to join them about ten minutes after that. To make matters worse, Genis, who of course couldn't fly, had now settled for standing at the limit of his safety tether on the rear deck to urge them into even wilder acrobatics, much to his sister's dismay.

A groan of worry rising from her throat, as Lloyd plummeted downwards only to deliberately kick the surface of the water to create a huge plume of spray that soaked the blond girl just above and behind him; Raine forced her eyes away from the sight and back to the book in her lap.

_Just don't think about it too much. This is the last day, and we passed the Sanctuary Markers a while ago. Just a little longer you'll be on dry land again._

She shuddered as her eyes drifted from the book to the water racing past just a metre and a half away from where she sat right in the centre of the deck. Every night since they'd set sail, Vayla had had to use magic on her so she could sleep, the fear of falling into the sea keeping her awake even when she was below deck. She'd forced herself onto the deck today though, determined that, if she couldn't rid herself of that fear, then at least she could learn to deal with it.

"Land ho!"

Vayla looked down from her perch atop the upper cabin, a wide grin on her face as she pointed to the dark smudge on the horizon before them. Shakily, after pocketing her book, Raine climbed the nearby ladder and sat on the cabin beside the ebon haired woman, still clinging to the hand holds and her safety line though.

"So how much longer before we get there?"

Vayla sat down beside her, still smiling.

"Half an hour or so. After that it takes about an hour to walk up to the main geyser. That's where the temple entrance is." She leaned close, speaking quietly so that the nearby youths wouldn't hear. "The Water Temple is pretty simple, and Kratos says we can cheat the trial mechanism in there. It's a flaw in the design, one that, in his rush to come up with _something_ as a test in this place, he forgot one simple fact... No matter what order the Seals of Water, Light, and Wind are done it, when at this Seal the Chosen already has wings when they get here. They can fly down, trip the mechanism to open the way to the Seal, and fly back up without ever having to go around and push the block on the lower path under the stone door to stop it closing...Of course non of the Chosens who have been here so far actually thought of doing that, since they were finding out as they went what to do, but in this one we've agreed that we're just going to cheat by 'suggesting' that the Chosen try flying down to the lower switch. We'll then 'discover' that there's nothing stopping them, and will then quickly proceed to the Seal itself with little trouble."

Raine managed to smile.

"Sneaky, very sneaky. I'll not complain if it saves us some time though."

Vayla tilted her head as she thought for a moment.

"It'll save about three hours, if you count the average percentage of time we've spent fighting things in the seals so far. There's only one passage, a set of stairs, and a single large room to go though to get to the chamber with the switches, but to get to the lower switch the long way you have to go down two sets of stairs from there and through two monster infested colonnades."

Raine sighed.

"I'm definitely not complaining then." Her eyes turned to the Chosen, as she played among the water, laughing. "...What will she lose this time? When she releases the Seal."

Vayla's eyes darkened, before after a few moments, she spoke.

"Enjoy hearing her laugh out loud now, because after this Seal she won't be able to anymore... She's going to lose her voice." Raine turned and stared at her in horror, the expression softening only a little as Vayla continued. "But don't worry too much. Kratos and I have agreed that you, Genis, and Collette can all have receiver crystals. They'll let you hear each other mind-to-mind if you 'listen' for each other, so she'll still be able to talk to you in one way at least... We'd wondered at the wisdom of giving you them, but then we decided that we couldn't face leaving Collette unable to communicate when we could so easily enable her to... Don't tell her though. We don't want to make this more difficult than it needs to be."

The two of them looking at the approaching land, and then back at the laughing girl and her friends, it was in silent agreement that they did just that. Remain silent.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

**Alaia Skyhawk: Third in one day lol. I'm gonna try and get another up tomorrow. Lucky for me I have a few chunks of a couple of upcoming chapters already written, so that should help me quite a bit. If all goes well, I'm hoping to post the Tower of Salvation chapter (which I'll admit I already have completely done) at the start of next week.**


	47. Seal of Water

**Alaia Skyhawk: And I'm still going, lol did the Writing Bug spike my coffee or something? XD**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 47: Seal of Water

-

Water soared up into the air before them, wisps of mist that looked as soft as thistledown, which belayed the searing nature of the water columns, drifting away from them on the gentle wind as the dim light of the just risen sun lit their way. Normally, as at the previous seals, they would have entered once the sun was fully up. But with three Pilgrimage ships moored at the collection of piers down on the shore the group wanted to be inside the temple before anyone on those ships headed up to come see the geysers. The last thing they needed was a gaggle of blessing muttering pilgrims getting in the way at a time when they needed to remain focused. At least the Oracle Stone was out of view, hidden behind a message board and kept that way by a fence that bore a sign warning visitors not to stray beyond the paths marked as safe. The group had ignored the sign of course, led behind the board by Kratos. Collette's touch upon the stone had caused the air along the cliff to waver, an illusion fading to reveal there was actually a path leading to the entrance of a cave above the geysers below.

Once they'd reached the path, Lloyd stopped and looked back at Noishe.

"You and Mezo make sure none of the pilgrims try to enter the temple. If we're lucky we'll be out of here by tonight, if not then we'll be out tomorrow. Just stand guard until we get back, ok?"

Two Protozoans looked back at him.

**Sure.**

**Not a problem.**

He gave them one last nod, before jogging to catch up with the rest of the group who were now halfway up to the cave.

"Hang on, guys! Wait for me!"

Two Protozoans then looked at each other with eyes full of worry before they then settled down for the long wait.

**Lloyd, Sheena... Good luck against Undine...**

**You're going to need it...**

Neither youth heard them though, the pair now walking into the depths of the temple with their friends and family. Water dripped in counterpoint to their footfalls, beads of it glittered with the soft light of the glowing algae that coated the walls wherever water trickled down them. It was almost surreal, dream-like in its eeriness. Rock walls of natural cave gradually gave way to walls planed smooth and carved with glyphs, rough floors gave way to stone tiles in places. Slowly, the light around them grew stronger until they saw the passage ahead open up into a huge cavern. Stairs led downwards to the cavern floor some fifty feet below them. Here and there great carved columns bridged the gap between the ground and the stalactite studded roof above, the twisted and bulbous bases and the seamless ridges blending with the ceiling high above revealing that they had been formed from the natural structures of merged stalactites and stalagmites. All across the once smooth floor, where new stalagmites had once begun to form only to be removed by a Saeniisumura, they stuck up from the floor like a forest of needles, needles that would badly injure or kill the unwary should they not watch where they were putting their feet. Following Kratos, they descended the stairs and crossed the chamber to a large archway in the far wall. Beyond it found them staring in wonder as they stepped onto a high platform built of stone blocks, overlooking a lower path surrounded by deep water that steamed slightly.

Looking around, Collette was quick to spot a device just like the one at the Wind Seal, a device to temporarily change the power of the Sorcerer's Ring she wore. Removing the ring and placing it upon the cylindrical device to absorb the ball of blue mana that hovered there, she then happily re-donned the ring and declared in a confident voice.

"Aiqua!" The moment the command left her lips the ring released a burst of water... soaking Lloyd who had happened to be in front of her, much to her dismay. "I'm sorry!"

Everyone began to laugh, while Lloyd used a fire spell to dry himself off.

"It's ok, though I think it's a fair bet that the water is meant to go in that jug over there."

She turned to look where he'd pointed, running over to where said jug was standing on the raised side of a set of scales. Looking between it and the ring, she then held her hand out and turned it over so that the now blue stone in the ring was right over the open top of the jug.

"Aiqua!" The reaction was immediate, with the scales balancing level, followed by a sudden tremor. It was then, as they looked down at the pathway below to see the door which gave access to it was closing. Another look over the edge to peer directly below where they were revealed another set of scales. "Oh no, we'll have to empty the jug again. There must be something we have to do first to keep that door open."

Lloyd, who had been briefed the previous night on what Kratos and Vayla had planned, put on a thoughtful expression before looking at his friend.

"Hey, Collette, you can fly right?"

She and several others stared at him as though he had lost the plot.

"Well, of course. I have wings after all."

He pointed to the lower path.

"Then why don't you just fly down and fill the jug? I can't sense a barrier or anything to stop you, so it can't be forbidden or anything. So why mess around with that door if we don't need to?"

She blinked several times.

"Um... I guess so... I'll go try."

Spreading her pink and gold wings, she nervously stepped over the edge and floated down, repeating what she had done with the previous jug. Sure enough, a platform rose from the waters to come level with the upper path. There was only one problem... While it had the teleportation panel on it that they were looking for, it also carried a welcoming committee of water elementals.

Seeing them, Lloyd glanced over the edge down at Collette.

"You might want to stay down there for a couple of minutes. We'll clear this lot up."

The following fight with the familial elements was short, sweet, and very wet, with only Collette having being spared a good drenching.

Squeezing water from her hair, Vayla gave her crèche mate a long look as she muttered quietly.

"Why didn't you mention those would come up with the platform?"

His expression was bland.

"There are elementals at _every_ Seal, so I assumed you'd realise they would be in here since they're not outside."

She snorted in disgust.

"Thanks ever so much..." She shook her head and sighed. "Well as this place turned out to be disappointingly easy to deal with, why don't we just go straight into the Seal Room and finish this now?" The dry Chosen and her soggy escorts glanced at each other, no one objecting. "Alright then, let's go."

She walked over to the glowing panel, vanishing from sight a moment later.

Raine just shrugged and followed.

"Might as well."

She too vanished, leaving the rest to follow. When the rest of them passed through it and appeared beside them, they looked around nervously at the room they were in. It was a great stone cavern, its walls unmarked by tools, shaped purely by the flow of water down its walls to the lake that filled its bottom. They were on a rectangular platform in the centre of that lake, a platform lined on either side by columns matching those in the main chamber of the temple. And at the far end from where they stood, a circular dais rose from the stone floor which had begun to tremble.

Weapons were quickly drawn as mana surged from the Seal, coalescing into three creatures reminiscent of the mermaids of legend... Except that these mermaids had claws, and fangs, and hovered just above the floor wearing expressions that said they weren't particularly happy to have visitors. All three let out discordant shrieks, so loud that it shook the cavern and sent those in the group with a heightened sense of hearing to their knees with hands clamped to heads to try and shut out the agonising sound. The only two still standing were Genis and Raine, and with the constant racket the three monsters were making it was likely it was going to remain just them unless they could shut the creatures up.

Glancing at each other, they did the only high impact thing they could think of. Their unison spell.

"INDIGNATION!"

"RAY!"

"TAKE THIS, PRISM STARS!"

The screaming mercifully stopped, as one of the creatures fell to the floor dead. The other two, however, were seriously battered and pissed off. They darted across the platform, one of them slamming Genis into a column while the other only narrowly missed in an attack that would have taken Raine's arm off. This sudden lack of accuracy probably caused by the blond girl who'd picked that moment to clamp her hands over the creature's eyes.

Collette held on grimly as the monster tried to shake her off.

"I'm not... letting you... hurt my... friends!"

It was hardly a fair fight by this point, with all seven group members present now back on their feet and attacking. The two remaining creatures didn't last long, the Seal releasing its customary ball of mana once the last of them had faded away and Collette had spoken her prayers at the altar, her Guardian appearing just a few moments later to gaze down upon her.

"You have done well, Chosen One Collette. Your journey nears its end; the gates of the Tower of Salvation are now open. Now is the time for you to head to the final Seal and complete the Regeneration of Sylvarant." His eyes remained on Collette alone, as he steadfastly avoided looking in the direction of the auburn haired man regarding him with a penetrating gaze. "You have passed the test of this Seal, and earned the blessings of the Angels." As with each Seal before, light descended and twined around her before vanishing, leaving Remiel still looking down at her as he spoke his final words. "I will await you at the Tower of Salvation, Chosen One Collette."

No sooner than he was gone than Genis frowned at the spot the angel had been in a moment before.

"Is it just me or was he in a hurry or something? He looked like he didn't want to be here."

Lloyd just grinned.

"He was probably ticked off that we found that loophole in the trail and skipped a whole section of it... It's the angels' own fault though, they left it there."

The sound of someone clearing their throat reached their ears, causing everyone to look at Kratos. Regarding his son solemnly, he pointed to the altar.

"Are you forgetting? There's one other thing we're here to do... You and Sheena need to pick who will fight with you."

Lloyd fell silent, Sheena suddenly looking very nervous as the pair glanced at each other, Lloyd speaking for them both.

"You and Vayla. Right now the only people with the experience we need are the two of you... That and you're our parents. We want you to be there when we make this pact."

The four alurannai turned to the Chosen and the two half-elves, Vayla speaking this time.

"Once Undine has appeared and has confirmed she'll permit us to attempt a pact, you three will need to go back through the teleporter to the chambers above. Collette will soon be in no condition to move around, and will need to be kept away from the coming fight. You two will have to look after her."

The room began to tremble, mana gathered around the altar, thickening until it blazed and then disappeared. There, framed against the view of the waterfall entering the cavern through the distant wall beyond, was Undine. Hair of deepest sapphire rippled as though constantly stirred by the flow of water, ruby eyes fixed on them from a face of sea blue. She stood, her scale-like dress shifting as though it too were constantly being stirred by waves.

"I am one who is bound to Mithos. Who are you?"

Lloyd and Sheena looked at each other one last time before they spoke in unison.

"We are Lloyd Aurion and Alysii Targathyr. We seek a pact with Undine, and ask that you anulst thy pact with Mithos, and by our right as alurannai, establish a new join pact with us."

The Spirit regarded them for a moment, before again she spoke.

"While you have not partaken of my First Test, I will in this instance waive the need for it and permit you to face me to earn a pact. Those chosen to stand with them, step forward; those not, you must now leave. The fight will begin as soon as only four stand before me."

As his father and Vayla came to stand with them, Lloyd looked over his shoulder at his friends.

"Go on, we'll be out before you know it."

Collette was starting to show signs of becoming ill, and Raine wasted no more time in getting her to safety as she tugged her brother along with her. The trio stepped onto the panel and vanished, the Summon Spirit speaking again only once they had gone, hope filling her eyes and voice.

"The awaited time has come?"

Lloyd nodded, taking hold of Sheena's hand as a sign of the unity of their purpose.

"Yes. Alysii or I, one of us is the Chosen of Restoration, though we don't know which yet. That is why we must both make a pact, and why we stand before you now. It's time for the path of the Prophesy to be followed, time for the worlds to become one once more."

She smiled.

"It is good to know that our waiting is finally over. Stand before me, ye two of which one will is the Chosen; stand before me and show me your strength!"

A sword of water appeared in her grasp, and she darted towards the two alurannai youths only for her attack to strike nothing but air. Both appeared above her, having light jumped out of harm's way, both of them unleashing spells to come crashing down on the spirit's head.

"THUNDERBLADE!"

The two swords of lightening each stuck the exact same spot, Undine dropping to her knees with a shriek as her elemental opposite crackled through her from the dual attack. She shrieked again, as this time attacks came at her from the alurannai adults nearby, Kratos and Vayla unleashing the very same group type spell they had used on the spirit so many centuries ago.

"Blades of thunder..."

"Gale of fury..."

"Searing end of all..."

Power gathered in a blazing ball inside the ring of their linked arms, the light exploding upwards as two voices rang out as one.

"THUNDERING TEMPEST!"

Countless bolts of light plummeted down on the spirit, those that missed shattering creating scythes of wind that tore at her even as they destroyed themselves, unfortunately with only two people casting it unlike the three on the previous occasion, it wasn't anywhere near as powerful.

Undine got up and glared at them, before she then did something different from their last battle with her. She lifted an arm, pointing it at them as with the other she called the waters up in a great wall from behind them.

"WATER PRISON!" The two alurannai were enveloped by the liquid, held within its grasp unable to move as Undine turned her attention back to the two adolescents. "And now they cannot help you. While their attack has weakened me, I am not beaten yet. From what I have seen thus far you are nowhere near strong enough to beat me, never mind defeat Yggdrasil. Even now one of you trembles before me, filled with fear so deep that it has paralysed her will to fight."

Lloyd turned to Sheena, to find that just as Undine had said, she was on her knees hunched down as if trying to hide.

"Alysii, get up! We have to work together!"

She continued to tremble, her voice barely reaching his ears.

"But I'm not strong enough... I wasn't thirteen years ago, and I'm not now. I'm just not!"

He ran to her side, forcing her to get up and look at him.

"But you are... No one is truly strong when they're alone, but when they have someone or something to protect then there's nothing they can't do if they just work together. If you feel that you can't fight her directly then just help me. Lend me the strength your fear won't let you use yourself; help me defeat her so that we can make the pact together. You're forgetting that when I need to I can feel what you feel, and right now I know that deep down you really want to win this. So just give it a go, the worst we can do is fail and have to try again."

She looked at his face, before slowly she turned her head to look at Undine.

"Try again, huh? We won't be 'trying again'," her eyes narrowed at the Spirit, "because we're going to do this first time!"

She moved to stand behind Lloyd, placing her hands on his shoulders even as he prepared to cast.

He looked at the Spirit.

"It's time to show you the 'strength' we have in our Unity! I call upon the Centre of the Balance. That which binds all as one."

Undine froze in shock, as the triple spell circle of a summoning appeared beneath the two youths.

"But his power was diminished!"

Lloyd smiled.

"I Summon Thee! Come Dallinius!"

The moonstone pendant beneath his shirt began to blaze, so brightly that the light was visible through the fabric, pulsing to the tempo of the unearthly howling that filled the cavern. The next instant Undine found her arm being gripped in the fangs of a great white wolf, whose ring of crystals blazed with purpose as he mumbled around the watery flesh in his mouth.

"Long time no see, Undine. It's surprising, isn't it, just what kids can manage to call up these days?" He swung her over his head, slamming her into the floor before flinging her by her arm into one of the nearby columns. As she struggled to get up, he walked over and stood before her. "Lloyd summoned me using the power of the bond he and Alysii share, a bond so strong that not even being separated between worlds for many years could break it. They both share the same purpose, no matter which of them turns out to be our Chosen, and for that reason they have beaten you today. Give them the pact, Undine. You may still have strength to fight, but they've more than earned it... That is unless you wish me to continue using the power they're giving me right now to beat you up a little more."

Undine got to her feet, dismissing the water that held Kratos and Vayla captive, before looking over to the two youths with a slight smile.

"You're right, they have, and I can sense that with the power you've gained from their bond right now, you could easily beat me in their stead. What they may lack now in actual strength, it seems they make up for with sheer will and determination. Yes... I will give them what they seek, and lend to them my power. Lloyd, Alysii, state your vows."

Once again Lloyd and Sheena looked at each other, and once again they spoke in unison.

"We Vow for the sake of all, to do what we must to restore the mana for the sake of the World."

The Spirit sighed, and began fading away into two orbs of deep blue light.

"I accept your vows, my power is thine... Use it to bring unity to the worlds."

The light settling into their hands, the two of them found themselves each holding a ring set with aquamarine, each slipping them onto the first finger of their right hands as their parents came over to stand beside them.

Kratos pulled his son into a hug, as Vayla did likewise with her daughter.

"Well done, Lloyd. You did it, and I'm proud of how strong you've started to become."

The boy began to laugh.

"We'll talk about strength after you carry me out of here... I used up so much mana in that summoning that I'm not sure I could walk out of here right now."

As if to prove his point, Lloyd's knees started to buckle beneath him, causing him to sag towards the floor until his father turned and hauled him into place to carry him on his back as Vayla had done with Sheena, the pair of them carrying their children towards the portal out of the chamber.

"We'll rest for a few hours in the room above, and leave the temple before it becomes too dark to walk safely to where we left the Skimmer." He glanced over his shoulder at the white wolf still watching them. "So are you going to go back to Corrine and keep an eye on it like you're supposed to be doing?"

Dallinius snorted.

"Spoil sport... Fine, fine, I'll go. Little Dalli will go back to sitting on the ship's deck bored out of his mind."

With that he disappeared, just a few moments before the alurannai present stepped on the panel and did likewise, appearing again to be welcomed by the relieved shout of a certain young mage.

"You're alright! So did you manage to make the pact?"

Genis hurried over to them, stopping as Lloyd peered over his father's shoulder and waved a ring bearing right hand at him.

"Yup, and we've got the pact rings to prove it." He yawned. "Can we talk later? I'm feeling kinda sleepy right now."

Kratos put him down, letting his son down gently to sit on the stone floor.

"After the stunt you and Sheena pulled against Undine back there, I'm surprised you're awake at all."

Lloyd slumped over onto his side, using his arm as a pillow as he sighed sleepily.

"Undine was calling us weak, but there are different kinds of strength, so we just showed her..."

His voice petered out as in seconds he fell asleep, Raine watching him from her place at Collette's side with concern.

"Is he really alright? Sheena doesn't seem to be as exhausted as him."

Said alurannai girl winced, before looking up at Kratos.

"Can we tell them about him? Tell Genis and Collette? It's kinda pointless keeping him secret now since they're going to keep wondering how it was that we beat Undine."

The Inartu's eyes became distant for a moment, before they cleared and he made a gesture with his hand.

"He say's it's fine... Dallinius!"

A small white wolf appeared on the floor beside him, looking rather annoyed.

"I do wish you'd make up your minds. Dallinius, stay on the ship. Dallinius, summoned to kick Undine's butt. Dallinius, go back to the ship..._ And now you call me back here again?_" He snorted. "I'm a Sumara Lord, not a _yo-yo_."

Raine, knowing what the wolf really was, wasn't that surprised to find he was the reason Lloyd and Sheena had won. Genis and Collette, though, were a little sceptical. Though Genis was the only one who was vocal about it.

"Dalli beat up Undine? No way!"

'Dalli' glared at him.

"The name is actually '_Dallinius'_, and I am the Third Sumara Lord. The Sumara Lords are the leaders of the Summon Spirits, and there are five of us, ranked First to Fifth in this order; Krishka: the Spirit of Life, Verius: the Spirit of Heart, me: the Spirit of Unity, Origin: the Spirit of Creation, and then Maxwell: the Spirit of Birth... I'll have you know that I'm not actually a Lesser Summon Spirit. My power was diminished by the Kharlan War and I was forced to take on this lesser form; and up until we passed through Asgard a few months back I was unable to take on my greater form at all. Now of course, I can."

The small wolf pup disappeared, replaced by an adult wolf that was slightly larger than Noishe.

Seeing that her brother was now becoming more than a little intimidated by the Spirit, Raine gave him a reproving stare.

"Ease up on him, Dallinius. You've just dumped the existence of two new Greater Summon Spirits on him, and rewritten his knowledge of the Spirit's hierarchy; give him a chance to get his head around it before you start scolding him. If you want me to 'respect' you, do behave in a way that deserves it."

If he'd had an eyebrow, the Spirit would have raised it before he sighed in resignation.

"You know, for someone so new to the Life of the Forces, you've certainly learnt quickly how to use the precepts of it to knock the wind out of a Spirit's sails." He glanced at Vayla. "Unless Ms Healer over there has been giving you private lessons in how to punch holes in my ego..."

'Ms Healer' grinned and shook her head.

"As much as I'd like to take credit, that one was all Raine."

Genis' expression was now shocked, as was Collette's, as he spoke the question both of them thinking.

"You've stopped believing in the Scriptures of Martel? Is that why you ran off ahead back at that shrine in Thodasa? ...H-how long?"

Raine flinched, her eyes full of guilt as she looked at the two youths.

"My faith in the Scriptures has wavered for a long time. Ever since the day, a year before the Day of Prophecy, that Phidra warned me of the suffering Collette would face in order to complete the Regeneration Ritual. As our journey progressed, as I saw just how distant and cold the angels were, how cold Remiel was, I began to doubt even more. Then at the Asgard Ranch I met Anna, an 'angel' who wasn't a servant of Martel, and saw how she had kept her humanity, her warmth, and used it to care for those who had adopted her into their community. Even so, after that I still clung to the Scriptures out of principal, clung to them until... I just couldn't anymore."

Her brother continued to stare at her.

"When did you give up on them?"

She sighed.

"At the Balacruft Mausoleum, after Collette cut her hand and couldn't feel it. I just couldn't take it anymore, holding to a system that demands such pointless suffering." Her gaze turned to the girl lying at her side as she placed a hand on her arm. "I'm sorry, Collette." Her hand moved away from the girl's arm. "I spent the next couple of months with nothing to believe in, feeling completely lost. I avoided watching you pray, Collette, it hurt too much to see it. It was at Maota that I came to a decision. When I was walking after leaving you two in the House of Salvation, Lloyd saw me all alone and asked if I wanted some company. I ended up sitting with him, Sheena, Vayla, and Kratos, beneath a cluster of trees just outside the village. We just chatted away, eating some of those little fruit buns Vayla seems to be able to pull out of nowhere. Once all the buns were gone they all got up to recite the darshensi, which since it was an Alurannai custom I decided to watch.

"When they'd finished and I commented that it sounded like a prayer, Vayla corrected me by pointing out that the darshensi is a show of respect to the Greater Spirits, and that the very name of it means just that, respect. That everything it 'asks' of the Spirits are things they already happily offer to those who but come to them seeking it out. She went on to explain the Sumara Lords, since they were mentioned in the darshensi, and Lloyd decided to ask his father if it would be alright to introduce me to Dallinius, who of course at that point I had no idea had been travelling around with us as Dalli. Kratos agreed, summoned him, and he appeared... With a stick in his mouth."

Sheena burst into chuckles at the memory, even Kratos and Vayla cracking a smile. Genis shook his head.

"So that's why Dalli just up and vanished when Collette and I were playing fetch with him... Was meeting him as he look's right now what made you decide?"

Raine met his gaze, finding it in herself to face him.

"It wasn't so much meeting him like that which did it, but rather the fact that there before me was undeniable proof that what I'd been told about the Life of the Forces was true. That Spirits and People were working together as equals, giving respect and getting it in return, standing together so that in times of need there is always someone to turn to who you know will answer your call... Unlike the angels... Angels are distant, play no part in the daily lives of those who worship them, do nothing to directly help those they are supposed to serve as guardians, and for that lack of care they demand such a high price. In the Life of the Forces there is no 'worship', only 'respect', and that is why I follow that way now."

The silence that followed was almost deafening, no one uttering so much as a word as Genis fixed his eyes on the floor and just sat there, utterly still. That is until a small furry something crawled into his lap.

The small fox nuzzled his chin, before climbing out of his lap again and heading over to Dallinius.

"Don't worry, Genis, admitting that you accept your sister's choice doesn't mean you're betraying your own beliefs, and it doesn't mean you're betraying Collette... Besides, Collette accepts it too."

The blond girl had pushed herself upright, her expression as puzzled as the one on the young mage's face as he spoke.

"How did you know what I was feeling?"

Corrine sat down beside the wolf.

"That's easy, the feelings were right there in your hearts." He tilted his head. "And now perhaps it's a good time that I was introduced to you properly as well. You know me as Corrine, but my true name is Verius, the Summon Spirit of Heart. The Kharlan War weakened me to the point that I became just an echo on the mana currents of the world, but a few years ago Sheena's heart called me back from the abyss in the form of a Lesser Spirit. I lived believing I was one too, that is until not long before we arrived at the Tower of Mana. It was then that I remembered, and in the time since my power has been slowly growing, though I'm by no means close to my full power yet. As it is I'm still too weak to even take on my greater form, and so I'm stuck like this, as they say, for the time being."

Genis sighed.

"I give up. This is now officially too weird to even bother me anymore." He got up and walked over to Vayla. "Can you get the cooking stuff out of your ver? I'm gonna make us all something to eat." He glanced at Collette. "What should I cook? I know you can't eat anymore, but don't deny you still like to smell it. You pick." Collette frowned, swallowing before shaking her head. "What's wrong?"

"She's lost her voice... It's what the Chosen loses when they release the fourth Seal."

The mage spun and looked at Kratos.

"What?!"

The alurannai man lifted a hand to stop him saying more, walking over to him and clasping something onto his wrist. It was a silver bracelet set with a pale yellow stone.

"Now Genis, I want you to think about 'listening'. Just listen, concentrate on doing just that." He walked over to Collette, putting an identical bracelet on her wrist as well. "And I want you to just 'think out loud'. Think the words as if you were speaking them."

The two youths appeared somewhat baffled, but both did as they were asked, Genis frowning.

"Why are we doing this? You knew Collette was going to lose her voice and now you're just wasting our time. How is this supposed to help, you secret keeping jerk?!"

_/Stop it, Genis, he just didn't want me to scare myself by thinking about this happening!./_

Genis flinched, looking around in confusion.

"What the? Who said that?"

Kratos smiled.

"Collette did. I've just put receiver crystals on you both, which permit the wearer to hear mind speech. You can hear each other if you just listen for each other and project your thoughts at each other. I gave Raine hers last night, so if you'd like some pointers from someone who's had a little more practice then just ask her." He got up, walking back to Genis' side and patting him on the shoulder. "A word of warning though, Noishe likes to tell bad jokes. If he starts telling you the ones involving fruit, just threaten to throw a Kirima at him. It won't stop his other jokes, but it will stop the fruit ones. He has bad memories involving fruit jokes and Kirima."

Genis just stared at him.

"O-kay... I have no idea what that's about, but I'll take your word for it."

Kratos laughed.

"Maybe I'll tell you the story sometime, but for now, I think we should all get some sleep."

No one objected. Beside when you've a lot on your mind the best choice usually is to 'sleep on it'.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

**Alaia Skyhawk: Hmm, I think that scene went pretty much how I planned it, man it was a lot of talking though. Happy reading XD**


	48. Lake of the Spirits

**Alaia Skyhawk: YO-YO! Man I can't get that line Dalli says out of my head! XD**

**On a side note, there's some large time skips in this one, since I didn't want to bore you all with more travel scenes like the ones I've used before. There are only so many ideas you can come up with for a cast of characters after over 240k words of scenes with travel in between. Hopefully the way I've done the time skips doesn't jolt things about too much.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 48: Lake of the Spirits

-

**Collette, could I speak to you for a moment?**

With a jolt the blond haired girl looked up, searching for the source of the 'voice'. She knew who it was, had had enough practice 'listening' now that it was easy, she was just puzzled that he'd spoken when not even within her line of sight. The group were a week's travel north of the Hakonesia Mountains now, just three weeks away from reaching Lake Umacy to get the help of the unicorn there to cure Pietro back in Hima. It was hard to believe that she'd not uttered a word out loud for so long, over two months, and that to 'speak' using thought had become such second nature to her.

_/Of course. Where are you?./_

**Over the ridge to your left, beside the river.**

She turned to face the ridge, walking up its side to stop at its summit. She could see him now, standing there watching the flowing water. These past few weeks she'd picked up a kind of tension among the four alurannai in the group, the Protozoans and Spirits too. Something was making them edgy, the tension growing the further they travelled... The closer they got to reaching the Tower?

She sighed. If it was the Tower, she could hardly blame them. She felt that way herself, knowing what would happen there.

Taking a deep breath, she headed towards the riverbank, stopping beside him.

_/You wanted to speak to me, Kratos?./_

He turned to face her, the wind with its hint of spring warmth stirring his hair.

"With the way things have been the last few weeks, I've not had the chance to do something I promised someone I would do..." He tilted his head. "And with everyone else currently putting together your 'surprise' party, this was a chance to do so without Raine or Genis seeing." He pulled something out of his ver, placing it into her hand. "It's from Brinia... If she were here I'm sure she'd tell you, 'happy eighteenth birthday'."

She looked down at the object in her hand, a bracelet braided from blue string and long blond hair. She looked up at him.

_/You got that Skimmer from the Renegades?./_

Kratos nodded.

"Brinia came charging into the vehicle storage area just as my friend was handing it to me. She apparently made that bracelet not long after Ralin got back safely and gave her your message. She'd just been waiting and hoping for a chance to send it, so I agreed to get it to you... discretely. I didn't want Raine to make a fuss about me getting a ship off some group of people she knows very little about. I doubt it would have mattered much that the man who gave it to me is one of my best friends."

Collette grinned, her mental laughter filling his mind.

_/Yeah, she _would_ make a fuss, but only because she's worried about keeping everyone safe./_

Kratos tilted his head to acknowledge the point.

"True, but there's keeping those around you safe, and isolating them to the point of possibly endangering them yourself. Raine still needs to learn that, but she's getting there, bit by bit."

The blond haired girl fingered the bracelet, before putting it on with a sigh.

_/It's strange to think that I've been on this journey for two years now. To think that I was sixteen when I received the Oracle after passing my first trial, and that here I am, four more trials later, and two years older. It seems like only yesterday that this began, and that scares me, because now everything seems to be going so fast. My time is running out, slipping through my fingers, and it seems that nothing I can do can slow it down... It scares me to think that, if we keep travelling at the speed we are, in less than three months I'm going to be.../_

She bit her lip to stop it trembling, Kratos placing hand on her shoulder in sympathy.

"Don't dwell on it, or you'll find yourself regretting that you let yourself cloud the time you have left with worry. Enjoy each day as it comes, as if it were your last. That's what you always tell those around you, so try to remember to do that yourself. I know that Brinia would want you to enjoy yourself, and not to worry. She does enough of that herself, driving that friend of mine up the wall in the process. She worries that you'll get hurt, and not because she worries that it will mean the failure of the Ritual, but because it's _you_ getting hurt. When she thinks of you she doesn't see the title, just you."

Collette looked up at the horizon, watching the sun hit the last faint traces of Undine's Veil in the distance to the west.

_/She sounds like an amazing person, someone who cares about everyone around her, and understands them as well... I just wish I could have had the chance to meet her./_

Kratos too looked at the mists.

"Well, no one knows how the wheel of fate may turn. Perhaps you'll get that chance. You'll just have to wait and see."

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

They were surrounded by trees, tall and lush as far as their eyes could see, the nearby water of the vast lake crystal clear in the light of the sun. It was so peaceful, so otherworldly, that it was hard to imagine they weren't in some place that time never touched.

Genis looked around in awe.

"The mana here, it's so thick. How can the levels here be so high?"

Sheena jumped, smiling, to the top of a nearby rock, getting a better view of the lake.

"This is the Lake of the Spirits. Myrta taught me about it a while back when she was giving Lloyd and I summoning lessons. It's the place where almost all of the Lesser Summon Spirits in the world gather, the place where summoners can come seeking a partnership with one or more of them. Their presence is what keeps so much mana here, that and the unicorn that lives here."

Vayla waved her daughter down from the rock, the girl obliging.

"His name is Darsa, and I've met him before, a long time ago. As I said back in Hima, he sleeps at the bottom of the lake now, just off the shore from the cove he lived in back then. The cove isn't that far from here, and we should get there before the end of the day if we keep moving. And if you hear the local wildlife talking, don't be too surprised. They're bound to chatter when they realise there are four summoners in the neighbourh..."

"AHHHH!! IT'S HER!! SHE'S BACK!!"

The next second Vayla had a squirrel latched to her head, quickly followed by a small dog dancing around her ankles like a puppy.

"What in the name of the Sumara Lords!" She managed to lever the squirrel off her skull, dropping it on the floor where the dog trotted up to stand beside it. "Who the heck are..!"

The dog cut her off.

"Oh! Oh! I know! I know! Remember this?!"

He jumped into the air, coming down to land butt first on the squirrel, who despite scrambling to do so, didn't manage to get out of the way in time. The dog stood up and pointed to the semi-squished squirrel with a paw. "BUTT SNIFFER!"

The squirrel peeled himself off the dirt.

"I swear that if you ever do that again...! That joke is over FIVE THOUSAND YEARS OLD! Give it a rest, dammit!"

A look of recognition crossed Vayla's face as she groaned.

"Oh... these two..." She glanced at her rather confused companions. "This is Trili and Diego, and Diego is the one that looks like a dog. They were the two Spirits I told you about back then, Kratos, the ones that showed me where to find Darsa when we needed to make that Mana Zircon."

Kratos' expression took on a look of understanding.

"Ah, those two. The two who were calling each other names until you scared the life out of them by screaming at the top of your lungs at them."

Vayla rolled her eyes.

"I was only four hundred and twenty-four years old. Do you expect an adolescent alurannai to stand there all day going 'excuse me, could I ask you something?' while those two tell each other to go burry themselves or to stick their head between a tree and a woodpecker?"

The two Spirits winced, looking as though they wanted the ground to swallow them while the smaller of them spoke.

"Ah, yeah, that was quite a shout. My ears were ringing for days afterwards, and after it made me slip off that tree branch and Diego landed on me after it made him jump several feet off the ground, he's been doing that damn 'butt sniffer' joke ever since." He suddenly charged over to Lloyd and Sheena, dropping to his little knees with his fluffy tail up in the air as he started to beg. "Please! One of you make a pact with me and take me away from this idiot!"

The two of them looked down at him, grimacing, Lloyd lifting a hand to scratch the back of his head.

"Well uh... Sheena has two pacts already, and I have three, and well... putting you in with those would be like putting a kitten in a room full of elephants. One slip up to annoy them and they might step on you just to shut you up."

Trili had his paws clasped before him now, little black eyes staring pleadingly.

"Oh, come on! How bad can a couple of other spirits hanging around with some alurannai kids be? I don't care if you have some of the more powerful Lesser Spirits with you!"

Sheena looked anywhere but at the squirrel.

"Who said they were Lesser?" Trili froze. "I have pacts with Undine and Verius, and Lloyd has pacts with Undine, Dallinius, and Krishka. Now I know that Undine and Krishka wouldn't squish you, but I can't vouch for the other two."

Trili remained utterly still for a moment, before proceeding to beat his furry head off the floor.

"WHY! WHY ME!"

Diego walked up to him, tail wagging.

"Don't worry, Trili. I'll keep you company until a summoner comes who'll make a pact with you."

The squirrel began to whimper into the dirt.

"That's what I'm afraid of!"

Nearby, having initially staring at the two Spirits in bemusement, Genis, Raine, and Collette were all smothering smiles as Vayla leaned over and murmured to them.

"The first time I met them I got the impression that they were friends and didn't want to admit it. It looks like, nearly five thousand years later, Trili still can't"

Taking one last look at Trili and Diego, Kratos shook his head and began to walk away.

"We still need to get to where Darsa is. Let's get moving."

A pair of ears and a tail suddenly perked up, a small dog streaking across the ground to dance around the Inartu's ankles.

"Follow me! Follow me! I'll show you! I'll show you!"

He then took off like a miniature rocket, dashing back before racing off again like an insane boomerang.

It was Vayla's turn to shake her head.

"De-ja vu..."

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

For all the centuries it had been since she'd last set foot here, Darsa's cove had barely changed. The crystal clear waterfall still cascaded down the nearby rock face, concealing the cave she knew was behind it, that water still chuckling merrily along the pebble strewn bed of the stream crossing the grassy expanse between waterfall and lake.

Stepping up to the water's edge, Collette turned so that they could see her tug a lock of hair at the side of her head to tell them to 'listen'.

_/It's so beautiful here. This really does look like a place a unicorn would live./_

Vayla and the others came over to stand beside her.

"If you look down there, you can see one. That's Darsa." She pointed, everyone looking and seeing what looked like a bubble deep beneath the water a short distance out into the lake. Inside that bubble an equine form was visible. "Only you and Sheena can go near him. The rest of us are either boys, or aren't 'pure'." A glance at Raine made the woman blush, her brother frowning at the implication. "Lloyd, Sheena, if one of you would do the honours?"

With a slight bow and an outstretched hand, Lloyd indicated to the girl standing beside that she should do it.

"I summoned Dallinius back at Thoda, so you can do this one."

Sheena rolled her eyes.

"Gee thanks." She went and literally stood right on the very edge of the water, taking up her casting stance. "I call upon the Maiden of the Mist. I summon thee, come Undine!"

The Summon Spirit appeared on the surface of the water just a few yards away, her ruby eyes enquiring.

"You have need of my assistance?"

Sheena pointed to Darsa.

"We need to speak to him. Could you help us reach him?"

Undine nodded, sweeping her arm out level with the surface of the lake.

"I will open a path for you. Do not worry, it will remain until you return to the surface."

The water beside her parted, a long sloping tunnel, leading down to where the bubble lay before, forming through the water; wide steps of water held so still it looked like the smoothest of polished glass giving firm footing for the decent.

Blue eyes meeting brown for a moment, Sheena and Collette hesitantly set off down the tunnel, fear it would collapse on them turning to awe as they gazed out into the depths of the lake. Shafts of sunlight struck silver off the sides of swimming schools of fish, fronds of weed swaying in the currents like an underwater forest. Summon Spirits too were here, swimming over to dance circles around the tunnel with their eyes full of humour. The blue around them darkened the deeper they went, becoming pale twilight as they finally reached the bubble where the unicorn now resided.

And then there he was, mane of silver, coat of purest white, long spiralling horn of palest ivory. He lay upon the sandy bed of the lake, hind legs curled beneath his body, forelegs delicately stretched out before him to pillow his slender head.

Sensing their presence, his eyes opened and he lifted his head to regard them.

**Vayla? ...No, you are not the young alurannai who came to me so long ago; you are another very much like her. While she never told me her name that day, I learnt it from the Summon Spirits that call this lake, and the forest around it, their home.** He rose gracefully to his feet. **Little that occurs here escapes my notice, and I notice now that Undine's power has enabled you to reach me. I also sense that you were the one who summoned her. Quite an achievement, for an alurannai child to make such a powerful and difficult pact so young. Why is it you have sought me out, child of the forest?**

Sheena swallowed, nervous.

"We need your help to cure a man of mana taint. We promised we would help him, but my myrta... Vayla... can't do it without a unicorn's aid."

Darsa tilted his head.

**So you are her daughter, that explains the similarity, and the reason she has not approached me herself.** He looked at Collette. **It puzzles me, though, your reason for being here. I thought you had come about her... Her mana, and that crystal, she is like Martel. So very much like Martel.**

Collette looked shocked.

_/You've seen the Goddess Martel?./_

The unicorn shook his head.

**No, but through the mana that gives life to the world I have sensed her presence, her sorrow, and her regrets, and I have seen those that are similar to you in the past. Individuals who were ill, much as you may become in time.** He walked up to her, touching the very tip of his horn to the side of her face, the touch as light as the brush of a feather. **Your body is on the brink of racing out of control, it knows not whether to accept your Cruxis Crystal or to reject it. If the latter were to occur, it is not just your friend in Hima who would need my help.** He paused for a moment, thoughtful. **I know what it is that Vayla is asking of me, and I will do so gladly. It is by and time I have earned my rest.**

He lowered his head, laying his horn across Collette's palms. It was then that it shivered and dropped free, her hands gripping the now severed horn in surprise.

_/What?./_

Darsa sighed, sinking to his knees and lying down once more.

**Take it with you... Like all unicorns my horn is my life, but I give it freely into Vayla's care. My help may been needed on the path you walk, and the world beyond this lake is no place for one such as me to travel. I have no regrets, for I have chosen this fate myself, and in my passing a new unicorn will be born to protect this sanctuary, thus in that small way I suppose it could be said I will live on.** He set his head on his forelegs, closing his eyes. **You are in safe hand, Chosen of Regeneration. As long as they live, your companions will protect and watch over you... Farewell.**

One last gentle breath and he was still, his body fading away into tiny motes of mana that drifted away into the waters of the lake. Watching them go, Collette looked as though she wanted to cry, the tears held back by her crystal, and knowing the same stab of remorse in her own heart, Sheena took her by the arm and began to lead her back up the passage.

"He decided to help us of his own free will, and chose the way to do so knowing what would happen. He had no regrets, so we should have none either. He died doing what he believed was right. He wanted to die, to rest, after watching over this place for so long. The new unicorn born from his mana will take his place, and one day it will do the same thing that he did."

Collette clenched her teeth, her eyes pressed tightly shut as they continued to climb.

_/That doesn't stop it from hurting though... But at least he knew that his sacrifice would bring a new life into the world that will watch over it... Mine I'm not so sure about./_

Sheena put an arm around her friend's shoulders, wishing beyond all things that she could tell her the truth.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

**Alaia Skyhawk: Poor Collette, only two more chapters and she's gonna be facing what she fears so much...**


	49. Home of the Past

**Alaia Skyhawk: Another time skip, but this one is more planned than the last one (I was originally going to write the trip from Thoda Island to Lake Umacy, but decided it would be boring filler stuff so I missed it out). This skip is to up the tension, for as Collette said to Kratos last chapter, her time is slipping away from her at a frightening pace...**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 49: Home of the Past

-

A long and rough road, or rather lack of one, had been their path for the last three weeks or so. Going east by south-east from Lake Umacy, they had crossed the Asgard Plains north of the city they were named after, and south of the hamlet of Aisa, going nowhere near either, not even for supplies. For when returning to Thodasa after releasing the Seal, Kratos had decided to stock up their supplies even further and had declared that they would be taking a different route to Hima. That new route had now taken them into the forests south of Lake Sinoa, to the oldest woods in this part of the world.

Raine, stumbling over a particularly large tree root as she had done on several occasions already, frowned at the back of the man leading them though this twilight world of dappled shade.

"Kratos, I know this route is shorter, but at the pace we've been going it's hardly going to be faster, and at this rate one of us is going to end up breaking their neck!"

Her brother grumbled in agreement. He may have been several inches taller than when the journey first started, but he still had the shortest legs in the group and this terrain was practically killing them.

"Yeah... Why _did_ you bring us this way? This forest is nuts, there's almost no kind of flat path at all in here, everything is crossed by roots."

Kratos didn't turn, but he did slow the pace a little to make stepping over the roots easier.

"It begins to clear up not far from here, for we're just about past the oldest of the trees in this region. As for why I decided to come this way, it was because of Lloyd and Sheena... They _need_ to see this place again, if they are ever, in their deepest minds, to truly come to terms with what happened to them fifteen years ago."

It was then that the two alurannai youths realised just where in Sylvarant they were.

Lloyd inched closer to Noishe, needing the reassurance as remembered fear returned.

"A-andorei Wrau..? The place we were living in when the Desians attacked us... This is the place where we got lost when using the Sentinel to..."

His voice shuddered to a stop, the fingers of his hands sinking into the Arshis' fur to grip tightly; as if he might find himself suddenly ripped away once more. Sheena was also cowering close to Noishe, Mezo being too far away where he flew just above the treetops. The sudden difference in them making it clear that Kratos was right, while they'd seemed fine about those years; the trauma of the causal event still haunted them.

Kratos, having heard the two youth's movements, sighed.

"They aren't the only ones who need to come to terms... This is also _my _first time setting foot here since that day. Hiding from the past doesn't make it go away; it just leaves it to fester in the back of one's mind. Of Lloyd and Sheena's parents, I am the only one of the four of us who has never been back here."

He stepped out into a small meadow just twenty feet across, descending an unusually sparsely covered slope and then climbing another at the far side. It was only when she looked down and saw the soil between the sickly plants was blackened that Raine realised it was no normal meadow... It was a spell crater. Any tree that may have been within its radius, reduced to ash and completely vaporised.

"What in Spirit's name did this?"

Kratos stopped but again didn't look back.

"That crater was made by either Anna or Vayla. The spells the Desians were using don't leave that kind of mark." The statement was blunt, his voice uttering the words in a clipped tone which revealed that Lloyd and Sheena weren't the only ones upset. In silence he led they further through the trees, past yet more spell scars, until he stopped at the point where the trees came to and end. "Behold the Alurannai settlement of Andorei Wrau, once known as the Village of Sunsets, Evening Embrace; or at least what is left of it."

The group inched out from under the trees, all but Spirits and Protozoans gasping at what they saw before them.

It was a long forest clearing, packed earth forming a road of sorts along it from where they stood. The charred and splintered remains of houses lined it, and everywhere they looked the scars of battle marked tree and ground. Only one area was spared the damage, a perfect circle at the far end of the settlement, the ground within it untouched.

Looking at that circle, Vayla's eyes were shadowed.

"Within moments of the attack starting we got everyone under a Song Shield; half of us holding it against the barrage of spells while Anna and I led the two partial coteries to cast spells in retaliation. The attack lasted barely five minutes before the Desians were forced to retreat, but by then the damage was already done. We abandoned the village shortly after that, leaving it as it is now. We couldn't use it anymore, it had been compromised, and our priorities lay with finding Lloyd and Alysii."

The two youths in question suddenly walked off into the devastated village, breaking into a run as the rest began to follow, coming to a stop in front of what were once two houses stood side by side.

Sheena bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes.

"We lived in these houses... We lived here for over a year before it happened." She turned, her gaze moving to a rock which stood in the area of grass just beyond the end of the row of simple wooden houses. "We were taught lessons in this place, by Kratos' myrtasi. It was here that Lord Krishka taught our crèche group the Prophecy, and here that we would have grown up if the attack had never happened." She held back a sob. "Lloyd and I, we... we never saw this place again. That day we just got on Noishe's back so that he could take us to the place Kratos had shown Lloyd during one of his visits, we went because I hadn't had a chance to see it. But then..."

Both youths turned to look south, Lloyd beginning to walk away.

"It was there that we were attacked..."

Sheena followed him between the wrecked houses opposite, and into the trees beyond, Genis and Collette running after them, the two Protozoan's following as well.

About to go after them, Raine was stopped by a hand on her shoulder, the woman beside her shaking her head.

Vayla sighed.

"Leave them be. Right now Lloyd and Sheena need to face what happened, to see the place it occurred and come to terms with it. Genis and Collette are adopted siblings to them, so having them there is fine, but you, Kratos, and I they see as adults, people who would find it difficult to imagine and understand the terror they went through that day."

She walked away, stopping and pulling pieces of wood off what was left of the house that had once been her own. As soon as she had an armful she set up a campfire and began setting up the group's tents, Kratos slipping off in silence to enter the remains of the home beside it.

Raine watched him go.

"What you two must have gone through. Anna and Rennan as well... I can't blame Kratos for not coming back here again after that. I think if I were in the same position, I'd do the same thing."

The ebon haired woman setting up the tents glanced over before resuming her task.

"I made a point of coming back here just after Lloyd was found, Rennan and Anna came with me, but Kratos was just too upset after Lord Krishka ordered him to leave his son with Dirk..." Any other alurannai parent probably would have disobeyed, their parental instincts making compliance impossible; but since Kratos is linked to Krishka he had to beat those instincts back with brutal force, or Krishka would have done it for him... It was months before he uttered a word, and three years before he began showing any real emotion again. The only other time I've ever seen him that bad, was back when Noishe was captured and enslaved during the Kharlan War."

The half-elven woman, who had been adding more wood to the campfire, stopped and looked up in shock.

"Noishe was enslaved?"

Vayla glanced in the direction that Kratos had gone, shaking her head after a moment before she continued in a muted voice.

"It's a touchy subject, so don't bring it up in front of them... If you want an idea of how bad those events were... Fifteen _thousand_ Protozoans _died_ during a battle that lasted less than an hour... A battle they were forced to fight by the humans who had found a way to enslave them. Noishe was the only Bonded Protozoan that was captured, the rest were all Wilds. When Kratos finally found him on that battlefield and freed him, Noishe was so close to the brink of being driven insane by the horror of it that it's a miracle he was able to recover, to be the person again that he was before it had all happened. Even so it took the Giant Tree _three weeks_ to get the two of them recovered to the point where they could face being around other people. Krishka wouldn't let anyone near them or the Tree until that time had passed. It was a few years later that both of them insisted on going back to the battlefield, to face their past. It helped both of them come to terms with it, and they were both the stronger for it afterwards. That's why we're here now, so that he, Lloyd, and Sheena can face their dark past and become stronger people by doing so."

Raine shook her head in awe.

"You alurannai truly are amazing, in the way you face your troubles and the way that, even in the darkest times, you keep striving to be strong so that you can better protect those around you... I'm not sure I could ever be that strong."

Vayla got up, walking over to place a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"You _can_ be that strong, Raine. You have your own dark past to face, and I know that should you get the chance to do so, face it you will. If not for your own sake, then for your brother's, and that makes you just like us."

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

"This is the place, the place where it happened..."

Lloyd walked into the clearing, Sheena at his side while Noishe, Mezo, Genis, and Collette watched them. None of those four were willing to break their silence, all of them sensing that Lloyd and Sheena needed to do this themselves, without interruption. To interrupt them would break the spell that had seemed to have fallen over them. The feeling of being distanced from reality, as if walking in a dream.

Sheena looked to the far side of the clearing, to where the wind shaped mounds of leaves stopped at its edge.

"We were playing hide and seek, and I was hiding up one of the trees... Lloyd was poking around one of the leaf piles, to see if I was in it. It was then that it happened, magic screaming out of the sky and down onto the village, and Noishe grabbed Lloyd and threw him into the pile of leaves."

Lloyd moved, walking over to stand by one of the nearby piles.

"It was this one, right here. After he threw me in he barked out a warning to tell Alysii to stay where she was, to stay hidden. He ran off after that, so that he wouldn't draw attention to where we were. A little while after that I heard someone come into the clearing and stop a short way away from me."

Sheena was watching him now, arms held tightly around herself as she fought not to shiver with remembered fear.

"It was a woman with green hair, and I saw her walk towards where Lloyd was and stop beside the pile of leaves. I don't think she knew he was there at first, but after a minute or so she turned and looked right at where he was."

Lloyd shuddered, taking a step away from the pile.

"I _knew_. The moment she turned I _knew_ she knew I was there. I _knew _she was a threat even though I couldn't see her from under the leaves. I jumped out, to run away, but she grabbed me by the arm, and said that using me they were going to get my ata to surrender to them."

Sheena was shuddering now as well.

"Lloyd shrieked at her, so loud it hurt her ears and she let go of him to cover them. That's when I jumped out of the tree. I ran to the edge of the clearing and shouted at him to run, but the woman cast a spell and aimed it at me."

Lloyd turned, heading for the edge of the clearing, stopping at a spot where beneath the sparse covering of grass it was possible to see that the ground had been charred.

"I ran over to her and pushed her out of the way." He headed into the trees. "We ran, and the woman chased after us holding a black spear that she'd called up." Lloyd led them through the forest, around trees and under branches for a while before he stopped and changed direction. "She was gaining on us, and I knew that without our parents there to save us our only chance was to escape to where the woman couldn't follow."

He was picking up pace now, almost at a run as he headed for where the sunlight grew brighter ahead of them. The six of them broke out of the trees and into the open, coming face to face with a tree that towered over those around it.

Genis gasped.

"This is a..."

Lloyd walked up to the tree, placing a hand on the great scar across the side of its trunk that faced them.

"I took us to the Sentinel... and we asked it to send us far away, to send us somewhere we would be safe... But when we made it onto the Tree Links..."

He was crying now, as was Sheena as she finished what he'd started.

"Something hurt the Sentinel... It screamed, and the Links wrenched, tearing us away from each other... I landed in Gaorachia Forest..."

"And I landed in Iselia Forest."

Their voices were grim as they spoke together.

"Both of us... alone..."

As Genis and Collette stood there in silence, Noishe and Mezo walked to their Bonded to comfort them, the former of the two speaking.

"The woman was Pronyma, the Leader of the Desian Grand Cardinals. I'd sensed that Lloyd was in danger, ran after them to save them, but I got here too late. I arrived in this clearing just after Pronyma had attacked the Sentinel in her rage at Lloyd and Alysii's escape. Just moments later her master, Yggdrasil, called off the attack and she teleported away. All that was left here was me, and the Sentinel as it cried in pain."

Collette gazed at her friends, and at the scarred Sentinel behind them.

_/So much suffering. All at the hands of the Desians... It's because they do things like this, that I have to stop them./_

Her words jolting him out of his memories, Lloyd shook his head.

"It's not just you who must fight to stop them. Sheena and I bear that burden so that there's no need for you to s..."

He cut himself off, both to hide the true conclusion of the Ritual from Genis, and to hide what he or Sheena might be from her.

Sheena stepped in to cover for him.

"What he means is that you're not doing this alone. We stand together in this." She sighed. "Kratos was right, Lloyd and I needed to see this place again. Nightmares about running from Pronyma through this forest have haunted me ever since I got my memory back, and I know they've haunted Lloyd as well, but they won't now. Not anymore. We've faced our past, and we're not going to fear it anymore... Though I still have a part I need to face, but the time to do it will come eventually. I'll be going back there again someday." She turned to face the direction of the village. "I think we should head back. We don't want the others to worry about us. Let's go."

And so the six of them walked away, leaving the Sentinel to continue its watch over the forest, a new resolve filling them all.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

Boots scuffed over earth and through fallen leaves beneath the trees as the half-elven woman walked among them. Curiosity had led her in among them, as she moved from one spell scar to another. Kratos and Vayla had both been reluctant to speak more of what had happened to Andorei Wrau, and after a while she'd decided to go for a walk to escape the uncomfortable silence around the campfire. Having stumbled across an area where the traces of that past battle were particularly clear, she'd begun to follow them, to try and figure out more of the attack on her own. Trenches and craters softened by years of rain and gentle wind lay scattered about the entire area, trees everywhere showing signs of battle be it merely from spell scarred bark or from the missing branches whose shattered ends reached out like accusing fingers. Nature was slowly recovering, slowly erasing the stains of conflict that were here, but it would be many years yet before they faded completely.

Raine continued through the trees, finding pieces of broken weapons that were too spell twisted to tell what they had once been. Leaving them where they lay, she moved from one to another, eventually finding one that was recognisable as a staff. She picked it up, turning it over in her hands as blue eyes alighted on the few areas of the shaft that were not charred black. This stave had once been white, inlayed with golden filigree that was disturbingly familiar. She dropped the staff as though it were a serpent, edging away from it before moving on with a sense of increasing urgency passing other weapons she could identify as she went. Here, a sword of pure white with a golden hilt, there, a spear of silver twined with ivory along its length. Her walk became a run as she sprinted through the trees, only to skid to a halt as she stumbled across what could only be a pyre.

The pyre lay in a clearing among the trees. It was clearly old, with grass and moss clinging to the remains in places. Hesitantly she walked up to it, looking down at the mass of sun bleached sculls and other bones that lay in this pile that towered as high as her head and a wide as moderate sized house. If she would hazard a guess she would say at least two hundred skeletons here... two hundred people whose bodies had been piled ready to burn but the pyre then left. Since she would never believe the Alurannai would deliberately make a pyre to burn only not to set it alight, it being more likely that their desperation to find the two missing children had made this a poor second to their immediate concerns, with it being left and forgotten among all their other problems. Instead of being reduced to clean ash, the bodies had simply rotted here where they lay surprisingly untouched by scavengers, but then the alurannai had probably placed wards to keep such creatures away from this clearing.

She walked around its edge, eyes moving from one eyeless visage to another until she reached the sunward side of the pile. The bodies no longer shadowed, instead bared beneath that light, ornate robes became visible, their enchanted cloth having resisted decay to remain as bright as the day its wearer had died. Blue eyes widened as they passed from one insignia, to another, and another, two circles inside a ring which surmounted a triangle whose points were each graced by a curving arc from the centre of each side. Light glinted off metal at the necks of the bodies, mounts of golden metal shining dully around the fragments of shattered red crystals that still clung to their centres.

In horror Raine stumbled backwards away from the pile, a sickening feeling rising to her throat.

"They... they lied... It wasn't the Desians who attacked this place, it was Cruxis... Cruxis, who Kratos betrayed, who would want to force him back... That's why they went after Lloyd... But what about what Lloyd said to Kvar, and what Kvar said as well. Kvar said the leader of the Grand Cardinals, Pronyma, led the attack here, but if it was angels who attacked then that would mean..." She dropped to her knees, unable to stand up as her mind raced putting one piece after another together. All of a sudden so much that had seemed confusing made sense. "'A Cohabitation Agreement' huh? More like an excuse used to placate the Church and keep them in the dark. _Two_ Worlds, _two_ Towers, _two_ Churches of Martel each with a Chosen. A Desian with a special project to try and turn an exsphere into a Cruxis Crystal, and an organisation that Kratos told me is running short of them... An organisation led by a man who betrayed the trust the Alurannai placed in him... How deep do Cruxis' lies go? They select Chosens to become vessels to try and resurrect Martel, and send them on a journey having used the Desians as an excuse for those innocents to be sacrificed. The Ritual succeeds, the Chosen reaching the Tower, and the Desians vanish from the world as it begins to flourish again, moving to the world that has begun to decline to set its people up for the same thing. People see visible results that match what they are told, and so they never question it..."

She got to her feet and raced off back to where they had camped, with more than a few questions she wanted answered...

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

**Alaia Skyhawk: One more chapter and DUN DUN DUN! The Tower!**


	50. A Promise Fulfilled

**Alaia Skyhawk: (Is typing madly)**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**-**

Chapter 50: A Promise Fulfilled

-

The wind softly stirred her hair, the peace of the night belying the emotional turmoil in her heart as her thoughts dwelt on what she had been told just a few weeks ago. After returning to the camp she had confronted the two adult alurannai, who after glancing at each other had placed a sound ward around the three of them to prevent any chance of Collette and Genis overhearing anything. Upon hearing her describe the un-burnt pyre the two had let out a string of curses, clearly neither had realised it had never been set alight, otherwise they would never have stopped to camp near here. After that the two had admitted that it was a force of angels that had attacked Andorei Wrau... and that Cruxis was indeed connected to and controlled the Desians. Learning that Cruxis was a sham had been hard for her, but to learn now that they were also the ones that were tormenting so many innocent people for the same senseless cause was shattering. If she hadn't already converted to the Life of the Forces she might well have simply given up. Stood here now, staring into the shadows, all she could think about was what was about to happen to Collette. They were barely four weeks away from Hima now, and with them planning to fly to the Tower after that, a journey that would only take a couple of days, the young girl's time was quickly running out. She had less than five weeks left before her life would be taken from her at the Tower, less than five weeks before it would be over and Collette Brunel would cease to exist. It was too cruel.

There was a faint sound behind her, and a hand was placed on her shoulder.

**Don't despair, Raine.**

Raine turned her head to see that it was Vayla. The half-elven woman spoke using her receiver crystal, so that the alurannai woman could feel that there was a lot more than simple despair shadowing her mind and heart.

_/All this time we thought we were doing this to free Sylvarant of the Desians and replenish the mana, but in truth everything we do is for their and Cruxis' benefit. Collette is going to die just over a month from now, die for a mass of lies! ./_

Vayla closed her eyes, her expression pained.

**Raine, if you swear to a geas of silence then I can tell you something I've desperately wished I could for a long time. Something that I wish I could tell Collette, but can't risk for fear of destroying our chances of ending this nightmare... Do you swear that that which you hear in this place will never pass your lips, that if you would speak of it by chance or deliberate attempt the words will die on your lips and never be uttered?**

Raine felt the touch of magic, it was the magic of a Greater Summon Spirit, which meant that one of the two in the group was casting the geas. Fearing being bound, and yet needing to know the _truth_, she nodded, answering in one of the traditional ways.

_/I swear it will be thus.../_

A moment later she felt the geas settle, though the ring of magic she could sense around them did not fade. Vayla met her gaze with an expression of relief.

**Collette can't be returned to normal control over her angelic abilities until she completes her transformation, which means that she **_**must**_** complete the Ritual at the Tower of Salvation. As soon as that happens... Kratos and I will be stealing her back from them. We've had a plan in the works for two decades now, a plan that is slowly progressing. We needed the Summon Spirits to all be awake, which is why the Seals had to be released. We had no choice but to watch Collette go through all that she has... But we **_**are**_** going to save her. We are **_**not**_** going to let Cruxis take her!**

Raine stared at her, stunned.

_/Collette... isn't going to die? ./_

Vayla gave her a small smile, shaking her head.

**No, not if we can help it... Raine, the Chosen of Restoration has been born and was born just over twenty years ago. The time of the Prophecy is at hand! Lloyd or Sheena, it's one of them, but they were born too close together for us to be able to tell which of them is **_**our**_** Chosen. Even so, the time nears when they should become able to feel if they have a Soul Link or not, and when that happens we'll know.** She gave Raine a small shake. **The time nears when there will be a **_**new**_** Giant Tree! No more Cruxis, Desians, no more lies, and the worlds restored to how they are meant to be! That is why Kratos and I are travelling with Collette, why Lloyd and Sheena are here. If all goes well then Collette will be free to live her life when this is over. True she will be stuck as a Crystal User, since there's no way back from that, but she'll be alive and free to make her own choices. Never again will an innocent be sacrificed to this system. The end is in sight, Raine, the end that the Offspring Races have waited almost four millennia to see...**

Raine wanted to say it was all make believe, that it was just a story, but having heard it mind-to-mind she _knew_ it to be true. Slowly a smile of sheer triumph dawned on her face and in her eyes, eyes that no longer despaired but were filled with hope and determination.

"I'm with you all the way... Whatever help you think I might be able to give, just ask me and I'm there!"

Vayla smiled back, as the ring of magic faded, the geas complete.

"I know, and Lloyd and Sheena will be glad to have you at their side as well. Even when they were little they seemed to know they were different, that there was some burden they must bear. They drove us near mad with worry at one point, their behaviour being so different from what was normal, but after a while we figured out that they just wanted to make us happy. As soon as we stopped going over things that needed to be done while they were awake, doing so only when they slept, the two of them became normal again... Well, almost normal, they still watched us like hawks to make sure we weren't sad."

Raine shook her head.

"And to think I used to wonder at Lloyd fussing over Collette so much while they were young, and Genis for that matter. He saw two people who were sad because the other children were afraid to be friends with them, and so he set out to make both of them happy by becoming their friend himself. Genis and Collette's childhoods may have been very different, and far lonelier, had he not gone to such lengths to make them happy."

Vayla patted her on the shoulder.

"I think it's time you got some rest. We may have taken that short cut by using the dwarven tunnels from the City of Sraanim, but it's still going to be a hard climb over the Hima Mountains. It's going to be four weeks of tough going, tougher than the forest near Andorei Wrau."

Raine let out a short laugh.

"Thanks ever so much for that information... I think I'd rather not have known."

Both of them began to laugh outright, continuing as they headed back to the camp with relief filling both of their hearts.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

The long red and gold serpent lay in its ageless pose of wide loops back and forth up the mountainside, the Town of Adventurers looking no different from when they had last set eyes upon it more than a year ago. It hardly seemed that long, and yet it also seemed like it had been an eternity since that day spent telling stories at the inn while the alurannai woman, Livian, made a winter coat for Genis. It was hard to think that they'd come so far, and through so much... and that just a couple of days from now the Journey of Regeneration would come to its end.

Climbing the stairways that were hidden between houses, taking the same route through the settlement as they had back then, it wasn't long before the group found themselves standing before the door of a familiar inn, an inn where an ill man had remained waiting for a promise to be kept.

Sheena reached out and opened the door, entering as the bell above it rang out to announce the arrival of guests. Just as had happened back then, a woman with coppery brown hair descended before freezing in surprise.

Grace stared at them, hope dawning in her eyes.

"You've come back... Does that mean you can heal Pietro?"

Vayla slipped through the cluster of group members, stepping to the front as she brought Darsa's horn out of her ver. She nodded.

"Yes, I can heal him now. That's why we're here." She turned to face the rest of the group. "He's going to need a lot of rest once I've removed the mana taint, and will be in no condition for visitors. You'd all do best to take a walk around town, or get settled into a room here at the inn."

Grace immediately pointed out which rooms were empty, everyone but Lloyd and Collette heading into them with their ver-released bags in hand while the woman and Vayla headed upstairs to treat Pietro. After watching them go, Collette turned and walked to the front door, pausing to look back at Lloyd. She may have 'said' nothing, but her eyes made it clear she wanted to talk to him in private.

He followed her out of the inn, the two of them making the long walk up to the highest of Hima's viewing points, stopping only once they had reached it, both of them looking out over the plains below to the last of the Asgard Mountains. Both of them gazing at the faint line of white which was all could be seen of the distant tower without the blaze of the setting sun behind them.

Looking at it with eyes full of regret, Lloyd sighed.

"The world regeneration…it's almost time..."

Glancing at him, seeing his expression, Collette placed her hand on his arm.

_/I'm sorry…/_

Lloyd flinched before looking at her, confused.

"Why are you apologizing?"

It was Collette's turn to sigh.

_"This is the end, and yet I can't even speak. I can't say anything to anyone without the receiver crystals, and if you, Kratos, and the other alurannai hadn't escorted me then right now I'd be with priests who would have no idea what I was thinking right now... Yet even though I can 'talk', and tell you that I'm fine with all this, you all still keep worrying about me. I'm sorry.../_

Lloyd closed his eyes and shook his head, before opening them and placing his own hand on hers.

"You dork, that doesn't matter... Besides, I'm the one that has to apologize..."

Colette frowned, puzzled.

_/Huh? ./_

He shook his head again.

"I just feel guilty about all you've had to go through. I just wish there'd been another way to save the worlds."

_/Worlds?_ ./

Lloyd winced, realising too late the slip of his tongue. He met her eyes, again full of regret.

"Yes, 'worlds'. Sylvarant is one of two worlds that vie for the supply of mana, and the other is called Tethe'alla. Tethe'alla is where Sheena ended up, and they sent her as an assassin because when Sylvarant begins to flourish, Tethe'alla will fall into decline. But if Sylvarant isn't regenerated soon, it'll die and Tethe'alla will die with it because the two of them are connected. That's why Vayla came to Iselia to escort you, because making sure that the Ritual succeeds this time was the only way to keep both worlds alive."

The Chosen smiled.

_/It's alright, I understand./_

Lloyd sighed.

"Are you sure you won't regret this?"

She looked away.

_/The truth is, I'm a little scared._/

"I would be too."

She gripped his arm, pulling him over to where they could stand by the wooden railing and look down at the town. She pointed at it, and then at the lands all around them.

_/But if giving up my life as a human means that Sylvarant will be reborn, then it's almost like my life is spreading out to fill the entire world. When I think about it like that, I'm okay./_

Again she smiled at him, as he regarded her with not a little admiration.

"You're strong, Colette."

She continued to smile, nodding once in thanks before heading off back down the path into the town below. Watching her go, as soon as she was out of earshot Lloyd turned and gazed with anger at that glint of white in the far distance, fists clenched in frustration.

"Dammit! Why did it have to be this way? She's suffering so much, and I'm one of the reasons it's happening... It's just not fair!"

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

She sat beside the window, gazing out to those distant mountains with blue eyes full of regret, and yet which also held a glimmer of hope. Looking at that distant tower, Raine was oblivious to everything, even her brother as he muttered to himself while scribbling notes into his mage's notebook.

_So little time left... We'll be there in less than three days with everyone flying, and Kratos and Vayla carrying Genis and I. Less than three days until my brother will learn the truth, three days before we may have to fight for Collette's life... Spirits watch over us, please let us succeed in saving her..._

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

Paws thudded over packed earth and rock, the beat of great wings a steady counterpoint to the sound of Noishe running. Two protozoans moved away from town, heading for the great tree that towered over a small grove of its lesser cousins, high on one of the mountain's ridgelines. The two of them leaving to wait at the North Triet Sentinel, all either of them could do was pray everything would go to plan...

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

Standing there, watching the sun as it began to set, its light setting his auburn hair ablaze, Kratos felt for the first time since that day he had stopped his aging that, time had frozen. Felt as though he were standing on the edge of an endless abyss waiting to jump.

_Three days... Just three days and the next stage of the Plan will begin... Just three days and I must enter that place once again. Tower of ice and despair, of betrayed hopes and dreams... A tower filled with naught but death... Three days and my son will enter that place for the first time, as he and Alysii come the closest to the Great Seed that they have yet to in their lives... Just three days from now that proximity may just reveal to them which of them is our Chosen... Three days and that uncertainty may finally be over, giving us all the chance to prepare for the seizing of the Hourglass System._

Not moving from his place on the porch of the inn, Kratos continued to watch as the mountains caught fire and the tower began to glow with a halo of false purity.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

Feet scuffed on hard earth, the cadence of two walkers offset by the patter of small paws darting alongside them. Dalli looked up, a stick in his mouth, watching Vayla and Sheena walk over to Lloyd's side while Corrine scurried up onto the nearby rocks to watch over them here on the viewing point.

Abandoning what had been a half hearted game of fetch with the small spirit, Lloyd's eyes moved once again to the now haloed tower.

**I'm scared, Vayla. I'm scared that I'm going to fail everyone... We're both scared.**

Sheena looked at the ground, arms wrapped around herself.

**There's so little time left before we get there, so little time before we might find out which of us is the one. What if we're not strong enough?**

Vayla came up behind them, putting her arms around both of them.

**Everyone has faith in you, and is here to help you. You're not doing this all alone, you have all your friends and family right beside you. Think about why you're here, why you've come this far, and what it is you're fighting for. Do that, and you'll be fine.** She turned, heading back down the slope. **Don't stay up here too long. Its best not to dwell on it. By all means think it though, but remember you must also prepare, for tomorrow we set off for the lion's den...**

The two of them watched her go in silence, before as one they gazed with determination at that distant tower, Sheena whispering the thought in both their minds...

"...We're ready..."

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

**Alaia Skyhawk: Quite short, and next to nothing of Pietro, I know, but I putting him in a scene was pointless since all of his lines from the game are redundant by this point. So I opted for little tension builders instead. Happy reading :D**


	51. Tower of Salvation?

**Alaia Skyhawk: DUNDUNDUNDUNDUN! (on a side note, if you have the song 'Is is sad' in whatever music player you have on your computer, play it while you read. I played it while I wrote and it makes this even more tear jerking in the middle.)**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 51: Tower of... Salvation?

-

The wind rushed past them, fresh and full of life... and mana. Sylvarant's mana levels were so much higher now that they were near unrecognisable from the desiccated wisps that had drifted on the winds just two years ago. Already this world was beginning to prosper, crop yields increasing, droughts suddenly becoming rare, the people breathing a sigh of relief as life returned to their dying home... And now it was time for the price to be paid...

Gazing down at the land below, at the trees that were now lush and green with summer growth, Collette then lifted her eyes to look at the white tower ahead of her. At her side flew the man who had come to her that morning, two days after the group had set off from Hima, removed her receiver crystal, and then led her away while the rest of the group slept. Only Vayla had seen them leave, watching them go in silence with eyes full of regret. Regarding that white pillar now, the young Chosen was suddenly full of fear, and wished that she could talk of it to he who flew with her, but without that amber crystal she could 'speak' no longer.

_This is it... It's over... My journey is at its end, and all that is left for me is to..._

She bit her lip, her heart beginning to pound as she got closer and closer to her destination.

_Mom... Dad... Grandma... I wish it never had to be like this. I'm about to give Sylvarant salvation, but you'll all have to live in the regenerated world knowing it cost me my life..._

She let out a shuddering breath, a hand suddenly touching her shoulder, making her turn her head and look at its owner.

Kratos' expression was solemn.

"I am sorry, Collette, that there was no other way the Alurannai could help the world survive... Know this, that had there been another way then Vayla and I would never have led you here, and that if it had been possible then we would have taken you and your family far out of Cruxis' reach. As it is, we can only hope that circumstances will allow it to be that you will be the final Chosen to take this path, and that the Prophesy of Restoration will come to pass."

It was then that he began to descend, drawing her attention to the vast clearing in the trees that had opened up below them, a clearing that held an immense ravine, out of whose deep shadows the white tower rose towards the heavens. He landed beside a pair of white pillars that stood right on the brink of that abyss, and knowing what she had to do, Collette landed between them. No sooner than she had done so that a stairway of light reached out from that edge and up to a doorway visible upon the tower, just above where the three supports and the narrow base merged to form the thicker column that soared up into the skies.

Taking a deep breath she began to climb that stairway, each step taking her closer to the end she'd been taught that she was born to face. The climb might have taken but an instant for how quickly it had seemed to pass, only a glance back at the pillars now far away and far below telling her that it must have taken nearly ten minutes to reach the door. As she faced the path again she saw that again Kratos had gone ahead while she hesitated, the man now standing beside the final Oracle Stone she would touch. Touch it she did upon reaching his side, and together they watched the door fade into a wall of light.

Biting her lip again, Collette strode through it, not seeing those who had come into view at the bottom of the steps far below, coming to a horrified stop when confronted by what was within.

"...!!"

A gasp of shock was all that her locked voice could muster, but it was enough that again a hand was set on her shoulder as she stared at the rising spirals of countless open topped coffins within the vast empty shaft, all of them that were visible full, their occupants as cold as the pale blue glow that suffused the interior of the tower.

"These are the bodies of the few Chosens who have reached this tower but failed to merge with Martel, and also the bodies of all the young women bred on Derris Kharlan for the same purpose and whom met the same fate and failure." Kratos looked down at her, his expression now emotionless in its bleakness. "Your family are not the only ones who face death for this cause, and it is only here in this tower that the Chosens learn that; the people who have escorted them here forbidden from entering for that very reason... Cruxis wants Martel revived, no matter what the cost in peoples' lives. The Chosens of Mana are too few and far between for them to simply sit and wait for the next and not keep trying in the meantime." He took hold of her hand and pulled her towards a teleportation panel sat at the end of the glass walkway they stood upon, pointing up to draw her attention to another platform suspended above them, built of stone and wrapped with what looked like moss covered vines. "You must proceed without hesitation to that which is your destination. To falter now will only cause you more pain and fear."

Heart pounding ever faster and harder she stepped onto the panel, she and Kratos appearing a moment later on that upper platform. There before her lay the final seal, or rather she realised that the entire platform was the final seal, the familiar circular recess from all the previous seals set into the centre of the circular structure, surrounded on three quarters of its circumference by the steps to either side and the raised half of the platform beyond, above which her Guardian hovered, waiting...

He looked down at her, face showing little emotion at her arrival.

"Welcome, Chosen One Collette. You have come far, and through much, to reach this place..."

It was with hesitant steps that she headed for those stairs, Kratos remaining where he was in silence. As soon as she reached their top and walked to stand below Remiel, she then knelt down and closed her eyes above clasped hands.

_My heart's racing... I'm so afraid... I don't want to die... But I must..._

--

Five sets of feet pounded up the stairway of light, Collette having vanished from view just a few moments earlier, the huge tower rising above them as the two half-elves and alurannai youths followed behind the alurannai woman who had led them on this journey right from the start. Vayla had woken them all just after Kratos and Collette had left, giving the pair just enough of a head start for Collette to be actually _on_ the final Seal when the rest of the group caught up. She'd already discretely sent the Spirits away, the duo leaving to meet Noishe and Mezo at the North Triet Sentinel, which was where hopefully the entire group would meet up with them after the coming confrontation.

Still running the five of them passed through the wall of light that was the open tower door, the silver haired siblings skidding to a halt on the glass beyond as they saw the coffins, only to scramble after the three alurannai who hadn't slowed in the slightest. The trio vanished as they stepped on a teleportation panel, coming into sight again as the two half-elves came through behind them. There stood Kratos waiting for them, and on the raised area on the platform's far side knelt Collette, her hair stirred by the the gentle wind generated by her Guardian's beating wings.

A look of triumph appearing on his face, the angel gazed down at her.

"It is time to release the final Seal... Come forth, Chosen, and complete the final sacrifice of your human existence! Your heart and your memory! By choosing to sacrifice your human life you will become a true angel, and this eroded world shall be regenerated... For only life, can pay for life!"

"What?!"

Genis took a step forward, face a mask of horror as his sister grabbed him. She gripped him tightly as he struggled to break free.

"Collette _knew_ it would end like this! She chose to come here _knowing_ how it would end! Are you going to try and stop her from doing something she's spent over _two years_ heading towards?"

Her brother looked up at her, eyes filled with an expression of betrayal.

"Y...You knew? But..."

Raine shook her head, not letting go of him.

"Yes, I knew. Phidra told me not long after I agreed to be part of Collette's escort on this journey. Everyone in the group knew, but we didn't tell you because we knew how you'd react, and how that reaction would make it so much harder for Collette... Genis, Collette could have backed out of this, and several times her faith was so tested that she nearly did, but instead she's come all the way here to do this, for the sake of all the people whose hopes and dreams she carries on her shoulders."

They all heard a rustle of cloth, looking up to see Collette rise to her feet. She turned and looked at them; eyes full of fear and yet also full of determination. She gave them one single sad smile, before turning and taking a single step towards the waiting angel.

"_Collette!_"

Genis began to struggle again, but this time was also grabbed by his best friend, against whom he had no chance of breaking free. Up on the altar light had begun to rise around Collette, tendrils of it swirling around her before passing within. As the last of them vanished she turned to face them one last time, newly unleashed tears flowed down her cheeks as by sheer will she managed to croak out one final word.

"...G-oodbye..."

Against her will her wings spread themselves out behind her, and as they lifted her to hover beside Remiel the last of the light faded from her eyes as blue turned to deep rose, her face now devoid of all emotion, of all trace of the person that was Collette Brunel.

Remiel began to laugh.

"We've done it! We've finally done it! And with this vessel, when I present it to Lord Yggdrasil, _I_ will become his new _Third Seraphim!_"

Genis had ceased his struggling and was now staring at the angel in shock... Shock that was gradually turning to anger as the quick mind of the young half-elf suddenly put a number of pieces together.

"'_Lord Yggdrasil'_? That's the name of the leader of the Desians!" He turned his head to look up at his sister. "You knew! _That's _why you quit following the Church of Martel! You found out!" He stared at her and the four solemn alurannai in disbelief. "_Why didn't you say anything?! Why didn't you, any of you, tell Collette the truth?! Why?!_"

Vayla averted her eyes, unable to look at him for the guilt she felt in this moment.

"...Because there was no other way that Sylvarant could survive... and knowing the truth would have turned Collette's journey into a nightmare for her. It was kinder for her not to know..."

"Of course, now that I know you two half-elves know the truth, I cannot allow you to leave. You have two choices... Join Cruxis or die!"

Raine and Lloyd let go of Genis, the boy glaring at the gloating angel. He clenched a fist, his other hand slipping around his back to grip his kendama.

"You've gotta be joking! If you think _any_ of us would join you then you're as insane as you look!" Mana began to crackle around him in his fury. "_I'm not going to let you take her! _She's my _friend, _and there's no way I'm going to let her be killed for a _lie!!_ ...EXPLOSION!"

Remiel grabbed the hovering girl and flung her to float off to one side of the platform as he dodged the inferno of the spell and sneered down at them.

"So that is your choice?"

Lloyd drew his swords, the others in the group readying their weapons as well.

"Sounds like a good enough reason for me... What do you think, Ata, Vayla?"

The two alurannai adults nodded, one solemn and the other smiling wickedly.

"I agree."

"Same here. After all, it wouldn't be the first time the Alurannai have had to come up with a way to save the world on short notice."

Lloyd smirked up at the angel.

"I guess that's means you're about to get your rear kicked."

Remiel said nothing, instead blazing with a white glow as with a sweep of a hand he threw a blast of raw mana at the group. As Raine and Genis ducked, Kratos, Vayla, Sheena and Lloyd simply absorbed the strike and then threw it back at the angel as dark mana. Remiel was flung backwards with a cry before he moved to strike them once more. Mana gathering like a halo before he unleashed its fury, fury like the expression on his now partially dark mana marked face.

"You are fools!! JUDGEMENT!"

The spell covered the whole of the lower area of the platform, leaving them nowhere to go. Kratos and Vayla flung their children at the two cowering half-elves and stood over them.

"GUARDIAN!"

The platform shook under the force of the impact on the hastily raised shield. As the two alurannai adults fought to hold off the onslaught, Lloyd looked up from between them at the blank eyed Collette.

_I'm not going to lose you Collette. You're in this situation because we needed the Summon Spirits to be awake._ He fixed his gaze on Remiel. _Time to teach that bastard a lesson._

Lloyd light jumped behind the angel and flung a wave of energy at him, throwing him to the floor.

"BEAST!"

Red wings flaring behind him, Lloyd landed and struck out with his swords sending two shockwaves along the ground to hit the downed Remiel.

The man cursed as they struck him.

"You little pest!"

He conjured a bow and fired a string of arrows at the young swordsman who barely managed to dodge them, falling over in the process.

"LLOYD!"

With a sudden flap of his wings Kratos slammed himself into Remiel, disrupting the spell the angel was about to cast on his son. However, Remiel produced a dagger from a fold in his robes and thrust it into the Inartu's stomach, causing him to drop to the floor with a gasp of agony. Kratos clasped the blade, the wound wouldn't kill him but it was serious enough to leave him unable to attack.

Laughing at the man who had once been one of his masters, the angel kicked him where he lay bringing a stifled scream to the man's lips.

"The only reason I didn't strike to kill is because you are the Origin Seal. You're son won't be so lucky."

He suddenly ducked as the blade of Vayla's glaive cleaved through the air where his head had been moments before. With further swings she drove him away from Kratos as Raine rushed over to heal him; Sheena rushing to Lloyd and helping him up before the two of them moved back to guard the kendama wielding Genis.

"THUNDER BLADE!"

The half-elf's spell crashed down on Remiel's head, slowing him just long enough for Vayla to hit him square across the chest with her weapon. With a choked gasp the angel fell to the floor, wounded beyond all hope of saving by the sheer force behind the enchanted blade's strike.

"Lord... Yggdrasil... I failed..."

Vayla turned away from him and dashed to Kratos' side. Raine had already removed the dagger and closed the wound, but the swordsman was still unable to get up. With a groan he tried to get his feet under himself, but failed.

"I think the blade was drugged, my body feels numb."

"On your knees is exactly where you belong you traitor." They looked around, searching for the source of the voice, and found it. Light flared and Yggdrasil appeared, glaring down at them with cold emerald eyes. He summoned the Eternal Sword and held it aloft, amethyst crystal silhouetted against long golden hair. "Your precious Krishka can't help you this time, Kratos. No summon spirit would attack me so close to the Great Seed, not even him. Not without there being anything to shield it from the backlash."

He pointed the blade at them, its power flinging Vayla and Raine to the edge of the platform and pinning them to the wall that edged it. Kratos struggled to get up, but failed once again. All he could do was watch in horror as Yggdrasil turned his attention to the three youths who stood immobilised by shock on the lower level.

He reached out as if to stop it.

"_NO!_"

Yggdrasil sneered.

"Say goodbye to your children. Think of it as the price for defying me." His eyes filled with hate. "Eternal Sword! Destroy them!"

Vayla strained against the power holding her in a desperate attempt to reach her daughter.

"_Alysii!_"

Power coalesced around the sword before shooting towards the two alurannai and the half-elf behind them. They brought their arms up defensively when suddenly a shriek filled the air. An azure shield covered the three, the attack splintering against it. At this point the sound was joined by another scream as Lloyd dropped to the floor clutching his head, trembling as the shield grew brighter still. Sheena reached out to him, but the moment she touched him she pulled back in shock at the tremble of sheer power she'd felt through her fingers. It was then that Lloyd shuddered and his screams stopped, shakily climbing to his feet before he held a hand out before him. In an instant the barrier was shoved at Yggdrasil, knocking the enchanted blade out of his hands as an ethereal song echoed around them, and all the while Lloyd just stood there in a trance, hand still held out.

After shaking him and not getting a response, Sheena put herself between him and the stunned angel as her mother and Raine moved in and dragged Kratos towards her.

Yggdrasil snarled and reached out to call the Eternal Sword to his hand once more, but stopped as a strange voice, that was not a voice, rang out.

_Krishka! Child of my Children! Take them from this place!_

In a flash of light, the great dragon appeared and threw a wall of power around the group, including Collette, before vanishing with them, the one thing he could do so close to the Seed. Yggdrasil roared with rage, he knew he could not follow them. His sole advantage over them was useless against the dragon, and had also somehow been repelled by the boy. His anger rocked the room, burning the remains of Remiel to ashes as he screamed in fury.

"_I will not let you stop me! I will bring Martel back no matter what it takes!_"

--

Sand was blasted outwards by the sudden unnatural wind, the man and two Protozoans stood in the doorway of the nearby building spluttering as it hit them. Using the corner of his cloak to rub the dust out of his eyes, the man brushed turquoise hair out of his face before going wide eyed in shock at the sight before him. There stood the Summon Spirit of Life, and on the ground below him lay the unconscious bodies of several people.

"Kratos! Vayla! Lloyd!"

Yuan charged over to them, dropping to his knees beside the nearest as Krishka looked down at him.

"They're fine, but lacking any notice before the Seed commanded me to get them out of there, the transfer was far from gentle. They'll wake up before long, though the obvious precautions will need to be taken with the Chosen."

The half-elf and the spirit both glanced at the white clad girl sprawled on the sand, the former unclipping a transmitter from his belt.

"This is First... Get a med team outside on the double and prepare the secure ward in the med wing. We've got several people to move and we need to do it fast." Clipping the device back into its accustomed place, he picked up the individual he'd stopped beside, turning and carrying them into the base as several Renegades came rushing out. Glancing down at the boy in his arms, he continued on oblivious to the rush of people he passed. "I've waited a long time to see you again... Lloyd."

--

**Alaia Skyhawk: TA DAH! Now you know which of them I picked to be the Chosen of Restoration. (I know I did't actually state it in the chapter, but it's so blindingly obvious lol) I did have reasons for either of them being it, but Lloyd's were less convoluted than Sheena's and made a lot more sense. So there you have it. On to the next one!**


	52. Revelations

**Alaia Skyhawk: lol, I've had the first part of this chapter written for over a year.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 52: Revelations

-

With a gasp she sat upright, silver hair falling into eyes only to be pushed away by unsteady hands as she looked around herself in confusion.

_We were in the Tower, and Vayla killed Remiel when he attacked us after..._

Raine lurched out of the bed, bursting out through a gap in the cloth screen surrounding it.

"_Collette!_"

She stopped. She was in what looked like a hospital ward, though it had no windows, and sat in a cluster of chairs at the far end was everyone who had been inside the Tower, bar Kratos, Lloyd, and Vayla... And Collette, who didn't sit at all.

Staring at her, not wanting to believe it, the half-elven woman couldn't deny that the girl's eyes were completely blank of emotion. They were empty. No sign of the bright and cheerful girl she knew showing in that motionless visage...

Sheena patted the chair beside her.

"Don't bother trying to speak to her, she won't respond. And I should warn you, don't make sudden moves while near her. If she perceives you as a threat, she'll attack you."

Raine sat down, glancing at her extremely bewildered looking brother before looking around at their surroundings some more.

"Where are we?"

The door at the far end of the ward opened, a figure dressed in a blue tunic walking in. Face covered by a surgeon's mask and hair wrapped up for hygiene, if it weren't for certain obvious characteristics then at first glance they wouldn't have been able to tell if they were a boy or a girl.

She set down the tray she had been carrying, and turned to face them, blue eyes visible above the mask.

"You are in one of the bases belonging to the organisation called the Renegades. We oppose Cruxis and their Desian pawns, making things as difficult for them as possible while saving as many innocents from being sacrificed as we can... Like the six Chosens that journeyed before Collette, all of which we took and gave a second chance at life to. The Alurannai are our main ally, and supply us with food and medicines. Lord Krishka brought you here when he rescued you from the Tower, though the roughness of the transfer knocked you all unconscious. Noishe and Mezo are resting in one of the upper rooms and will come as soon as they are needed, and Kratos, Vayla, and Lloyd are all with Lord Yuan right now. They'll be down as soon as they've discussed certain matters."

Sheena remained silent, petting the little spirit sat on her lap. She knew what the 'matters' were. Raine however was disorientated, confused, and not a little ticked off.

"So you're one of the Renegades? What the heck is going on, where's Kratos and the others?"

The woman reached up, pulling her head wrap off to release a coiled single braid of long golden hair. She then removed the surgeon's mask, uncovering her face as Raine gasped in shock before her eyes moved between this woman and the blank eyed girl standing nearby.

"I am Brinia, part-elven daughter of Sirala, the previous Chosen of Regeneration. She who was taken from Cruxis by the Renegades and given a chance to live." She walked towards them, stopping a short distance from Collette, whom she gazed at sadly. "I am Collette's cousin, and long have I waited to meet her. I just wish that it could be under better circumstances. Her Cruxis Crystal is bound with enchantments, far more than the norm, and as such we lack the equipment to remove them here or at our other base. Access to an advanced lab facility will be needed, and unfortunately the Renegades do not have such facilities in either of our bases, and at present asking the Alurannai to construct such would not be possible, not with Yggdrasil certain to renew his search for their places of hiding. Arrangements have been made for a possible solution. Arrangements that will likely be explained to you by Lord Yuan when he and the others come down here."

They all just stared in silence, as Brinia moved away from Collette and sat down in one of the empty chairs.

It was then that Genis suddenly remembered something Vayla had told him, over a year before, in Asgard.

"Wait, did you say Lord _Yuan?_ Is he the Crystal User Yuan, Vayla and Kratos' friend from since the Kharlan War?"

Brinia nodded.

"Yes, he is. He was fifteen when he met them, and now he is five thousand and two. He is the leader of this organisation, and its founder. He acted as a double agent within Cruxis up until he left the Order a few years ago. He only stayed as long as he did because Kratos was within the order as well, as the Alurannai's jiisumura. They both kept watch, doing what they could to minimise the harm done to the people of the two worlds; all the while trying to get Yggdrasil, who was once their friend, to see reason. They left because they finally accepted that it was hopeless, and that all they could do was wait for the Chosen of Restoration. So they left, and each took up tasks among their own; Yuan here, and Kratos among his people."

Genis looked like he would have fallen over if they hadn't been sitting down. Raine, however, was on her feet in reaction to what Brinia had said.

"I found out a while back that Cruxis and the Desians were connected, but you say Yggdrasil was once their _friend?!_"

Brinia looked at the floor, solemn.

"So it would seem you've been told a little, but not all. The system of shifting mana between the two worlds was designed and set up by the Alurannai, to keep the two worlds alive after the Tree's death. Yggdrasil was the one they entrusted with the task of maintaining the balance of that system. But five years after the Tree's death he betrayed them and created Cruxis, moving on to dominate the two worlds and instate the Regeneration System. The mana was never meant to vary by such an extreme range, but he changed the limits on the shift so as to better control the people and keep them in submission. All he cares about is resurrecting Martel. Nothing else matters to him, bar getting revenge for her death. She died defending the Great Seed, the seed of the Giant Tree, from a band of almost four hundred human soldiers left with no purpose after the war ended other than their own selfish desire to control what little mana was left. She killed them all, with no weapon but her bare hands, but was mortally wounded in the process. So badly wounded that when Yggdrasil and the rest of their group found her, it was too late for healing arts to save her... He seemed to have accepted it, accepted that she had died with no regrets. It wasn't until his betrayal that the Alurannai learned otherwise. Everything that has happened since then, is all because he refused let her go..."

Raine stared, she too remembering something Vayla had once talked about.

"Martel... She's the Crystal User Vayla told us about? The one that she said Collette reminded her of? The one that died to protect that which she had sworn to?"

The medic looked her in the eyes.

"That would be very likely. As for anything else, I couldn't say for sure. The only ones who can tell you more would be Kratos, Vayla, and Yuan themselves." She got up, going to fetch the tray she'd brought in, which had food on it. "For now just rest a while and have something to eat. Things will be explained in due time."

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

There was barely a sound in the office, which had its security shield locked over the door. It wasn't a dread silence though, but rather one filled with hope as they waited watching the young alurannai boy who sat before them tense with concentration.

Lloyd had his eyes closed, as he reached out, searching. He remained still, as he had been for almost half an hour now, before finally he stirred. Brown eyes slowly opened, gazing distantly at the office wall as he refused to look at the expressions on their faces.

"I can hear it, faintly, the Great Seed... I can hear it singing... inside my head..." He closed his eyes again. "It's me, I'm the Chosen of Restoration... At the Tower it was the Seed, acting through me, that deflected Yggdrasil's attack..." He smiled, a faint chuckle rising as an errant though from far away reached him. "It's happy, and amused... Yggdrasil has no idea how I stopped that attack. He thinks it's something to do with Lord Krishka."

Kratos shifted in his chair a little, leaning forward.

"Wait, did it just...?"

Lloyd opened his eyes, chuckling again.

"Yeah, it sensed what I was thinking and told me he came down to the chamber where it's kept to pace around mumbling to Martel. He's still there... and really confused. It can't pick up much from outside that room though, so once he leaves the chamber it won't be able to tell me any more of what he's mumbling."

Yuan tapped a finger on his desk, expression thoughtful.

"Well at least we know we have some free time to play with. The sooner we get you all over to Tethe'alla the better. Every little bit of head start will help keep him off balance, though with Krishka going all out now to interfere with him using the Eternal Sword to track Collette and you all, he's going to be completely in the dark anyway." He got up, walking around the desk to ruffle Lloyd's hair. "You have no idea how much I've wanted to do that. It's been fifteen years of sheer suspense waiting to see you again with my own eyes, Lloyd. I know you'll do us all proud."

Lloyd smiled up at him, before Yuan then pulled him to his feet. Taking the hint, Kratos and Vayla got up as well.

"Well, since we now know that for certain, I think we'd better go rescue Brinia. If Raine's awake if could be quite uncomfortable down in the isolation ward."

They exited the room, Yuan removing the shield and opening the door to reveal Botta who had been stood outside. Beside him stood Noishe, Mezo, and Dalli, who had all gathered when they had sensed Lloyd successfully reach out to the Great Seed. Wordlessly they joined them as they walked down the hallways, which were nearly deserted at this late hour. Several minutes of this, along with a trip in an elevator, and they entered a room where the silence was decidedly tense.

Sheena jumped to her feet, eyes searching out Lloyd as the eight people filed in.

"Lloyd! Is it?"

He nodded.

"Yeah, I'm the one..."

Everyone else was on their feet, except Brinia who immediately understood what that statement meant... She wasn't the only one, however.

Genis walked forward, stopping halfway down the room as he looked at his best friend... and the little wolf beside him.

"Can I talk about it now? At least in front of those who are here?"

Dalli cleared his throat, and suddenly everyone in the room was within the sound ward he conjured.

"That would be somewhat pointless, since everyone in this room bar Collette already knows what you know."

Raine sighed, turning to face her brother.

"So when did _you_ learn about Lloyd or Sheena being the Chosen of Restoration?"

Genis scuffed a foot on the floor.

"Back when we were in Triet. Lloyd really needed someone he could talk to, but he couldn't tell me it, not unless he could be certain I couldn't accidentally let anything slip. So I swore to a geas set by Dalli so I couldn't."

The half-elven woman looked at the spirit, her expression puzzled.

"A geas of silence... You've got some nerve, Dallinius, to push him into that after I'd told him never to swear to one."

Dalli gave a canine shrug, followed by a sudden blurring as in the small wolf's place was a full grown one appeared. He smiled.

"I'm the Summon Spirit of Unity, and Lloyd needed to be able to talk to a friend. Naturally I would step in to allow that... Now since everyone who needs to be is already under a geas, Genis, feel free to continue."

The silver haired mage looked rather unnerved at 'Dalli's' sudden increase in size, having never seen him in that form before, but figuring it wouldn't be the last surprise today he took a deep breath and continued.

"At Triet Oasis I learnt that Lloyd and Sheena were born too close together for the alurannai to be able to tell which of them it was... But now, I'm guessing, they can..."

Lloyd let out the breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding.

"And it's me... I'm the Chosen of Restoration. The one person in the worlds that can support the birth of a new Giant Tree... Genis, Cruxis is a lie. Martel, she isn't a goddess, she's a person that Yggdrasil is trying to resurrect. And the Desians, they exist purely to charge exspheres and cause suffering to humans. Cruxis is running out of Cruxis Crystals, and they've been searching for a way to turn charged exspheres into them. That's where Kvar's Angelus Project came in. The Church of Martel knows nothing of the truth. Cruxis is just using it as a tool for their own ends."

Kratos came forward now, letting Noishe and Mezo get out from behind him to a place where they could lie down or perch respectively.

"This is the true nature of the Regeneration System, a system where the very beings that supposedly watch over and guide the people, are actually the instigators of their suffering... All for the sake of resurrecting a woman who had accepted it was her time to die... Who would never want to be brought back. But now, with the Chosen of Restoration born, the Alurannai and the Renegades can finally act to bring Cruxis down and restore the worlds to how they are meant to be."

Vayla came forward now, regarding Raine and Genis with what looked like relief.

"I'm glad we can finally tell you all this, tell you everything. It's been so hard for us to hide it from you for all the time we travelled together. Raine, Genis... this is probably going to be the biggest shock to you of all... In this room stands five of the Nine Companions that ended the Kharlan War. Kratos Aurion, Yuan Azlarsha, Noishe of the Protozoans, Dallinius of the Summon Spirits, and I, Vayla Kevrania as I was known back then... We are of the seven that remain 'Companions'. Of the two others that no longer exist as part of our number... One was Martel Azlarsha, and the other was her brother... Mithos Yggdrasil."

As Raine and Genis gaped, the former reaching out for the back of a chair to steady herself, Yuan closed his eyes and bowed his head, his expression pained.

"These days we don't call him that. When we speak of 'Mithos', we speak of the man that existed before Martel died. When we speak of 'Yggdrasil', we speak of the leader of Cruxis... As far as we're concerned, 'Mithos' is dead... and Yggdrasil is the one that killed him. Of all of the Companions, I am the one who can most understand the grief he would have felt at Martel's death. He was her brother, and she was my wife..." He held up his left hand, showing them the ring he still wore even now. "Losing her was like losing half of myself, but still I accepted that she died with no regrets other than that we would never have the chance to live in a peaceful world together... Mithos couldn't do that. He attacked Dalli, his spirit partner; that act breaking his vow and severing their pact. I guess we should have seen it then, because that was the first sign that something was wrong. But we passed it off as grief, and five years later he betrayed us all."

Kratos put a hand on Yuan's shoulder, as the lightning mage held back tears of pain and frustration.

"When Yggdrasil approached Yuan and I, to ask us to join his new Order of Cruxis as his fellow Seraphim, we accepted so that we could keep an eye on him and try to minimise the impact on the worlds as much as we could. Twenty seven years ago he sent me a report detailing his newest idea. He wanted to create an 'Age of Lifeless Beings', claiming it would be the solution to ending discrimination between the races, for all races would become one and the same. That was when I knew for certain there was no turning back for him... and so Yuan and I left. Since then he's promoted Pronyma as his Second Seraphim. She is his most trusted general, and she's as ruthless as they come. If he told her to kill herself, she'd do it without hesitation. That is just how loyal she is to him, and is what makes her so dangerous. For that reason, when you leave this base, I will not be travelling with you. Instead I am going to keep Pronyma occupied. Yggdrasil has reasons to want me captured, and Pronyma is the only one he'd trust with such a task. I will keep her away from you while you work to return Collette to normal, and then proceed with the Plan."

Finally recovering enough to speak, though what she had just heard would still take some time to sink in, Raine sat down, her eyes wide and her expression lost.

"What... What plan?"

Sheena got up, walking over to her mother who reached out to hold her close and comfort her.

"The plan to bring Cruxis down... Our journey is far from over yet... More like it's just begun... It's not going to be easy, but as long as we work together we'll prevail. We have the Chosen of Restoration, and as long as Cruxis remains unknowing of what Lloyd is, we'll have the upper hand."

Lloyd twitched, turning to gaze off through the wall of the room in the direction of the Tower of Salvation.

"The Great Seed says Yggdrasil has just left the chamber where it's kept. He's still confused right now, so we've got time to rest before he begins a search for us."

Kratos frowned.

"Lloyd, does it truly speak? The only time the Alurannai had ever heard the Giant Tree speak was when it spoke the Prophecy in its dying moments."

Lloyd looked at him, tilting his head as he thought about it for a moment.

"Hmmm, not really. Mostly its just feelings, with a few actual words when it wants to emphasize something. I just instinctively know what it means, that's all... It really wants this to be over. It's waited so long, and even trapped in that chamber it can feel the suffering of the worlds. It wants to be free... and it wants Martel to be free too." Lloyd actually began to tremble. "She wants this to end as well..." Slowly, he looked up at Yuan. "I can't hear her speak, but the Great Seed is helping me feel her presence... She wants you to stay strong, and not give up. She wants us to stop him..." He paused, and then shook his head. "I'm sorry, it's gone... I can't sense her now, so I guess her soul is sleeping again..."

Yuan had tears openly falling from his eyes, as did all the others who had known Martel when she was alive.

"Thank you... Knowing that she too wants her brother stopped makes this easier to accept. Yggdrasil may be a mad man, but still he's my brother." He looked over at Genis and Raine. "I think it's best we all get some rest, and have some time to think. As long as I've lived, it still doesn't make hard things easier to face. Be they memories or present events."

As Yuan walked out of the room, Kratos turned to Lloyd.

"And you young man are going to sleep right now." A quick gesture and the spell was cast, Lloyd slumping limp into his father's arms. He too looked at Genis and Raine. "Don't dwell on what you've heard here for now. If you cannot sleep, Brinia will provide you with a sedative."

With that he left the room carrying Lloyd, the rest of those with him following. Only then did Genis spot the man in the grey and green robe at the back.

"Wait! He's one of the ones that attacked the Martel Tem..."

Brinia cut him off, putting a hand on his arm.

"That was my brother, Botta. The Renegades carried out that attack out of necessity. If we hadn't made at least one apparently serious attempt against Collette, Yggdrasil would have suspected something was up. If the two deaths the village suffered pain you, then I ask you to think on this. The Renegades lost four. Four men and woman who gladly risked and gave their lives for the sake of preserving the secret of the Plan's existence. They died to improve our chances of ending this... And I'll also point out that if the Plan fails, depending on how far through its course it failed, then Sylvarant and Tethe'alla will die either after a few years, or in as little as a few _days_... That is how important it is we take every measure we can to ensure it does succeed."

Sobered by that harsh revelation, Genis looked away from her, his expression lost.

"So it all depends on us? We're the ones whose actions will decide the fate of two worlds?"

The medic headed for the door, pausing once to look back at the young mage.

"Yes, we are. Four thousand years of waiting have led to this, and we are the ones born in this time, whom fate has led down this path. Remember that Lloyd is your friend, and that he is willing to give everything he has to see this through. All that remains to be asked, is will you stand by him in the trials to come?"

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

Taking one last look at the sleeping youth and the small white wolf standing watch over him, Kratos closed the sliding panels of the door and locked them. Lloyd would sleep until he came back in a few hours time, and here in the base there was nothing that could or would hurt him. Setting off down the hall, he had to admit that Lloyd being their Chosen made perfect sense, in fact it was so blatantly obvious that it was a wonder none of them had realised it. They'd spent just over twenty years with it staring them in the face, the reason was the Nartana's secret, their burden. It all made perfect sense, and had they realised it then he would have known _before_ Lloyd was born that he would be the Chosen of Restoration.

Kratos sighed.

"T'wer it have been different, we could have prepared for this the moment I married, for once I had a wife it was simply a matter of choosing to have a child that would have given us our Chosen..." He smiled. "But it would not have been the same, and Anna and I may not have had the joy we did with our son. All things happen for a purpose, and this situation is no different."

Walking a short way down the hall, Kratos entered Yuan's office and passed through it to the private rooms beyond. The mage was already in there, along with Vayla, the pair of them sitting with expressions of deep thought in their faces.

Looking up as his friend entered and closed the door, Yuan waved him to one of the slouch chairs like the ones in which he and Kratos' crèche mate were sitting.

"So what now?"

Kratos sat down.

"Now we begin the next stage, and before you ask, no the Alurannai will _not_ be taking Lloyd and Sheena racing around the Temples to get pacts the way they did with Mithos back at the end of the War. Lloyd and Sheena still have strength to gain before either Vayla or I will allow them to confront Yggdrasil, which means we have time to use up. It's going to be at least a couple of years yet before both of them have fully mastered their magic and summoning skills, and we cannot take the risk of moving to take the Seed before they are ready, which means it's been decided that they will travel as they have done for the past two years. On foot." Yuan began to get out of his chair, Kratos' words stopping him. "Right now Yggdrasil can no longer track their movements using the Eternal Sword, and there is still Collette's condition to rectify. The Alurannai are now on high alert, and keeping our people safe is the main priority. That means that the only place with the equipment needed to remove the extra enchantments binding Collette's Crystal is the Imperial Research Academy in Tethe'alla."

Vayla continued the explanation.

"Using it will require the permission of the King, and if we are seen by Cruxis' spies to be randomly moving around, apparently making things up as we go, then we know he will sit back and watch. He believes that as long as he has the Eternal Sword we cannot take the system from him, and that arrogant confidence along with his vengeful nature will make him watch what we are doing with amusement, thinking that in the end he will get to rub our noses in our failure. By sending Lloyd and Sheena around the Seals in that way, not only will Yggdrasil make things worse for himself in terms of the progress of our plan, but it will also give Lloyd and Sheena the time they need. The two of them are so young, and the strain they are under is already a great deal to bear. Rushing them may result in us destroying them ourselves with our haste. We've waited almost four thousand years already, what's a couple more to that?"

Yuan sighed, settling back down into his chair.

"From your 'sending Lloyd and Sheena' line, I'm guessing you two aren't going with them..."

The two alurannai glanced at each other, before the auburn haired of the two spoke.

"I will only endanger them if I remain with them now. Yggdrasil will likely set Pronyma to try and keep track of me, and by going a separate way I can keep her away from Lloyd and the others."

Vayla spoke now.

"I'll be staying with them until we get the King's permission to use the Academy facilities. After that I'm going to be working with my fellow healers to stockpile as much medical supplies as we can. We may face all out war by the end of this, and we need to be prepared. I'm one of the Alurannai's best healers, and certainly the best at medicines. I'm needed on my own path, and that path does not let me travel with my daughter, at least not right away. I might be able to arrange something after a while, but until we get things moving I won't be able to stay with her... We'll just have to trust that, with the help of their friends, they'll do fine. Both Lloyd and Sheena will be getting Watcher's Whistles, so they can call for assistance when they really need it."

The lightning mage nodded in acceptance.

"As much as _I_ dislike the idea, I know for certain that you two like it far less. If you've accepted this plan, then so will I, and may the Spirits watch over us all..."

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

**Alaia Skyhawk: And so the scene is set for the next part. Bring on Tethe'alla!**


	53. Time to Fly

**Alaia Skyhawk: A few plot holes to fill here... how in the game they could just leap on and fly those things has always made me wonder. This is gonna make a lot more sense.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 53: Time to Fly

-

The figure in the bed shifted, frowning a little before relaxing as gentle fingers stroked his hair. Brown eyes opened, bleary for a moment before focusing on the face of the man sat beside him.

"Ata?"

Kratos smiled sadly, before nodding.

"I'm here, Lloyd. It's time for you to get up. I've something I need to teach you and Sheena before I leave."

Sleepiness vanished, as the young alurannai shot upright with an expression of disbelief.

"'Leave'?! Why?!"

He stopped as Kratos sighed.

"Because if I stay I'll be putting you and Alysii in danger. Vayla will be leaving the group as well, though not until you've been to Meltokio and are about to leave for Sybak." Lloyd frowned a little, a silent question on his face. Kratos shook his head. "It will all be explained once Genis and Raine are awake. Brinia sedated them both last night, when it became clear that both of them were too agitated to sleep. They'll remain unconscious for several hours more at the very least, and that time will be more than enough to teach you what I need to."

He got up, a glance at his son telling the boy to grab the azure reta hanging over the back of a nearby chair and follow. Lloyd did as was asked, trailing along behind his father as the man led him through the base and down two levels, making a few final turns before arriving at a door which was considerably wider than all the others they'd passed. Waiting there was Vayla and her daughter, the former of the two speaking.

She smiled at Lloyd.

"So you finally woke up." Her attention turned to her crèche mate. "I'll leave things to you then. I need to go find Botta, I said I'd help him organise some of the strike teams since Yuan is madly working out the logistics of what the Renegades will need to do over the next couple of years. He still has the mana cannon to sort out, since capturing it from Rodyle will need to be done with as little fuss as possible. We can talk later."

And with that she walked off down the hall, leaving her confused daughter standing there. Taking the girl and his son by the arms, Kratos led them through the large doors.

"This is what you're here to learn."

The two youths stopped in their tracks, looking around with awe.

"Whoa..."

"What is that?"

Kratos smiled.

"'That' is a Rhieard, and I'm going to teach the pair of you how to fly a very special one that I keep here. Genis and Raine will be taught to fly the single man versions once they've woken up, but the two of you are going to learn how to handle the two man, cargo version."

They were stood in the hanger of the Triet Base, technicians around the edges of the upper floor manning a series of computer terminals, the majority of which were close to an immense set of doors at the far end, in front of which there was large circular hole in the floor where one of the strange crafts hovered. Kratos led the two youths to a small elevator, and no sooner than it had begun to descend that the pair of them were able to see what lay _below_ the floor above. Dozens of Rhieards were held suspended within a series of racks, crane arms for moving them to the launch column folded back but for one held ready to receive the craft hovering in the centre of the hole in the upper floor. Continuing to follow him, they soon came face to face with four Rhieards set in floor stands, two of which were small, one large with a lidded compartment on the back... and a third red and silver one of similar design; the craft showing many long repaired scars, its rear compartment open to the air.

Looking at it, Lloyd frowned.

"Why is that beat up one there?"

Kratos chuckled as he moved to stand beside the aforementioned vehicle.

"This 'beat up one' is the Red Hawk, the Rhieard used by me during the Kharlan War to carry Noishe, who of course cannot fly. If you're taking him with you when you leave here then the two of you need to know how to fly it. I've modified it to allow a pair of alurannai to generate mana and transfer it directly to the engine. I'm going to take you up in it one at a time to show you the controls, and then you're going to go up together while I fly alongside."

Hesitant, the two youths joined him beside the craft, their lesson ready to begin.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

A faint groan rose from the occupant of the bed, the silver haired woman sitting up stiffly as with a slight shake she cleared the last of the sedative from her head. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, with her other hand she searched for the glass of water she hoped was on the table beside her. She felt someone press just such a glass into her hand, just as a vaguely familiar voice spoke.

"It's been a long time, Raine, almost twelve years. You've changed a lot from the fourteen year old girl I left with her brother at the gates of Iselia."

Raine stiffened, eyes opening blearily to look at the woman sat beside the bed. Those eyes widened with recognition as they focused upon the ebon haired individual, an individual whose face now bore the wrinkles about the eyes which were common for humans of middle age. The healer blinked back a sudden welling up of tears.

"Milleisi? You're a member of the Renegades?"

The Mizuhoan woman smiled.

"All of us who spent those two years getting you and Genis to Iselia, are. When we found you there was no way we were going to leave two kids to fend for themselves, so we got Yuan's permission to carry out a mercy mission. We loved every minute of those two years, and we missed you both like crazy afterwards. I'm happy to have gotten the chance to see you again, and I know the others are chomping at the bit to say hi as well." She chuckled. "Ianir especially... He's been crazy with worry about you ever since he found out you were one of Collette's escorts. Then again it's hardly surprising considering how much he loves you." As Raine sat there, stunned, Milleisi placed a hand on her arm. "He wanted to tell you about the Renegades, but he didn't want Genis to get involved with us while he was so young. That's the only reason Ianir lied to you about his 'job', to protect your brother. He didn't want Genis' childhood ruined if he'd told you and you'd decided to join the Renegades. This base is no place for young children, which is why we took you two to Iselia."

The half-elven woman remained silence, eyes fixed on the blanket covering her legs, remaining so still for so long that when she finally spoke Milleisi nearly jumped in surprise.

"I don't hate him for lying to me, and I understand his reasons." She lifted her head, looking into Milleisi's eyes. "Could you take me to him?"

The Renegade smiled again, getting to her feet.

"There's no need... He's waiting just outside."

She walked to the door, the sliding panels opening to let her out... and let in the half-elven man stood in the hallway beyond. He stepped in and stood there as the door closed behind him, hopeful green eyes gazing at the silver haired healer.

"Raine..."

The healer gazed back, getting off the bed before flinging herself into the man's arms, her tears soaking into the cloth of his uniform.

"Ianir..."

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

Blue eyes gazed distantly at the pages, moving from one to the other of the two books spread out on the table before him. One he had owned for years, the other he had borrowed just a few months ago out of curiosity. One with pages whose edges were softened by oft being turned, the cover darkened by much use. The other's pages crisp edged, preserved by alurannai magic, the cover likewise bright as the day it was bound. The Scriptures of Martel, the Tome of the Forces; one filled with what he now knew were lies, and the other with truths that he now knew were not.

Genis sat there, regarding the two books as he tried to make sense of everything that had just happened. Everything he'd believed in had been stripped from him, exposed as deceit, while everything he'd seen as being 'pagan myth and superstition' had been revealed to be the only truth he'd encountered. All this time he'd thought his beliefs were those that would save Sylvarant, when in truth those beliefs had only helped in its oppression by Cruxis.

He sighed.

_All this time they've lied to the people... but once you know it's all lies, what do you have to believe then?_

He shut his copy of the Scriptures, hesitating for a moment before tossing it to the metal floor and reducing it to ashes with a spell, wincing with guilt despite knowing that the book wasn't true. He then averted his gaze from the scorch mark on the floor, instead looking at the remaining book before him. When he'd asked to borrow it, Kratos had explained that it was actually little more than a storybook, filled from cover to cover with tales about the Greater Summon Spirits and the various Races living together, helping one another. It was a book that painted a picture of a way of life that had been common not all that long ago in terms of how long life had existed on this world, and as such it left the reader to draw their own conclusions regarding what they thought of that near lost system of respect.

He snorted in self derision. Back when he'd first read this, after that second visit to Thodasa after releasing the Seal of Water, he'd thought that way of life, a life of giving and receiving without money as payment, just simply fulfilling one's role in the community in return for getting what you needed to live in return, he'd thought it an impossible dream. A dream that no Race other than the Alurannai could pull off without conflict. But now... now he knew that the impossible dream was the life and world where one person would defeat the darkness and bring light. One person alone can never bring real peace to the people; if they want peace then they have to work together with others to achieve it and that was all there was to it. The Tome of Forces said as much itself, right there in plain sight amongst the stories written on its pages. If you want something, then you have to work together; no life is life when it is lived alone.

Turning to the first page, he ran a finger over the text. That first story being one about a village called Elswyn, and of how the humans and half-elves living there had survived a severe drought by working together. There was no great hero, no one person who stood out above the rest, just a group of people who had strived as one to succeed. Every story in the book was just like that one, all of them telling of the same thing, the respect those people had for one another, the trust, and the friendship. Nothing was asked for without something being given in return, and never was someone asked to give what they could not afford... Never was someone asked to give up their life to pay for what was received.

He closed the book, getting up from the table. He looked at its bright cover one last time, before stepping over to the middle of the small private room he'd woken up in. He then stood there, hesitating, before turning to face what he could sense was south, clumsily sketching symbols in the air with his right hand as before now he'd only watched being done, turning clockwise with each phrase he uttered barely louder than a whisper in a voice that shook with uncertainty.

"Shadow, keeper of the inner darkness, show us what lies in the heart so that we may overcome it. Efreet, giver of courage, keep us strong through times of hardship. Gnome, servant of the earth, let the land be kind along our passage. Volt, one who teaches faith and trust, let that which you teach hold us together. Luna and Aska, keepers of truth, let our song sing pure the intentions within. Celsius, maiden of frost, let us see clear like the crystal ice that which we need to make it through. The Sylph, wind's daughters, let us face our doubts and hold true to our purpose. Undine, walker in the mist, let us have the determination to follow this path no matter how difficult." He then clasped his hands together as he stared at the floor, the fear of his abandonment of the Scriptures filling him. "Maxwell, guardian of the new born, may the birth of a new time come. Origin, Master of Creation, watch over us as we await the Restored World. Dallinius, let Unity be our greatest strength in the times to come. Verius, let our hearts remain open to all others regardless of what differences there may be between us. Krishka, may the breath of new life flow over the lands, and the Giant Tree live again in our future..."

The silence when he stopped was deafening, as he stood there clinging to the sound of his heart pounding in his ears, hoping for some sign of acceptance and yet fearing rejection. It was then that he felt his uncertainty fade, that ice banished by several fleeting and yet undeniable brushes against his spirit. Tenuous they might have been, but in them he sensed all four of the elements whose Spirits were awake, and also the familiar presences of Dalli, Corrine, and Krishka. In that moment he didn't need any words from them to understand their message.

If you trust in us we will trust in you, if you work with us we will work with you; together we will never be alone.

That message was all he needed to be certain he'd made the right choice, that fact confirmed by the small smile on his face.

It was thus that three days later he looked to the path ahead with determination to succeed, as with his friends and family beside him, four Rhieards soared up from sun-scorched desert sands into a veil of shadow, before fading back to a land of ice...

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

**Alaia Skyhawk: Well I had initially planned to write Genis and Raine being taught to fly the Rhieards, but Genis' scene at the end made such a perfect conclusion to this chapter that I stopped there. Happy reading :D**


	54. Flourishing City

**Alaia Skyhawk: Well here is a chapter I know a lot of you readers have been looking forward to. ZELOS!**

**Credit for the Potato Joke again goes to WingedWithFireyMana. Tay, soz for not using the skit script for the scene, but I couldn't find it on my comp. :S**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 54: Flourishing City

-

"Well my 'newly inter-world travelling' friends, that is Meltokio, the Capital of Tethe'alla."

The group were stood on a ridgeline about a mile from the gates, gazing at that city beneath the regard of this southern continent's bright spring sunlight. It was amazing what the past month had done for the group, the inner doubts and veils of secrecy now gone from between them. It had taken eleven days of land hopping with the Rhieards to reach the Fooji Mountains, with the previously secretly alurannai Lyranve acting as the second person on the cargo Rhieard Vayla had been using. That route had taken them across the sea from the Flanoir Archipelago, along the southern shores of the Kharlan Grounds, before crossing the sea again north of the Y'mir Forest, going south-west over land before making a final sea crossing and heading for the mountains where all of the Rhieards but the Red Hawk had been left with the tawny haired woman to return to the Flanoir Base. Genis and Raine had been relieved that they'd been able to stop after a reasonable time spent flying each day, with uncomfortable bladders being the obvious reason, and were more relieved still that Collette could then be 'let out for some fresh air' each night before being locked back inside the second two-man Rhieard's cargo compartment. That had been the one downside to the trip, that the cargo compartment was the only safe way to transport Collette by air. She was just too unpredictable in her current state to trust with flying alongside.

As it was the trip had ended at the mountains uneventfully, the Rhieards still having plenty of mana left in their energy stores due to Kratos' high efficiency of their engines. The two week walk after that had also been quiet, which given everything that had happened prior to these events, the quiet was all too welcome. Even making Collette follow them had been easy, since at present her sole purpose was survival and the saying 'safety in numbers' seemed to be one she followed exceedingly willingly. Now they just had to hope that nothing in the city would set her off, or posing as normal humans now or not, Lloyd and Vayla would have their hands full dealing with the resulting situation.

Still smiling after declaring their arrival at what was to her a very familiar city, Vayla set off down the road again towards the city's Main Gate, since it was apparently easier to get to the Castle from the Main Gate than one of the Lesser Gates around the rest of the city's perimeter. She was remarkably cheerful to be honest, since just that morning Sheena and Corrine had _left_ the group to head to Mizuho to report the failure of the girl's original mission. As she'd put it, 'I have a responsibility to them, and if they got word of my being in Meltokio with you guys, visiting the King of all things, it would make a real mess of the situation'. The girl's mother had been put out at first, but couldn't deny that Sheena was right, and so had sent the alurannai youth off with her blessing and a stern command to rejoin the group at the earliest opportunity. Sheena had also left them a letter for the king, with the promise that it would at the very least get him to listen to their request when otherwise they might not have even had the chance to utter a word to him.

The group that had once been eleven now numbering only eight, it was with renewed purpose that they approached the city gates and the guards that stood either side of it. When they finally reached it, they got the inevitable and expected response from the guards.

One of them thumped the end of his spear on the ground, speaking in demanding tone.

"State your business!"

Vayla pulled a beribboned and wax-sealed piece of paper from her ver, directing an amused glance over her shoulder at her friends.

**I've been looking forward to doing this... Let's see if this thing works over here since I never needed to use it in Sylvarant.** She held up the Warrant of Church Authority that she'd been given by Phidra before leaving Iselia. With any luck Phidra's seals would be the same as the pope's here in Tethe'alla. "We're here on Church business, details of which are none of your concern."

Just as had happened with Kratos all those years before, the guards became _very_ cooperative. It looked like the seals _were_ the same, or at least so similar that these men hadn't spotted the difference.

The guard whose face she practically pushed the document into took a step back.

"My apologies! Please, go it, we won't delay you any longer!"

Noishe and Mezo chose that moment to go off and amuse themselves in the countryside around the city, Dalli also making himself scarce as the group walked through the gates fighting to suppress their laughter until out of the guards' earshot.

Once they were, Lloyd began to laugh outright.

"Man, did you see the way they reacted to Phidra's letter? Those guys didn't have a clue that thing isn't even _from_ this world."

Genis was laughing as well, as he and Raine carefully led a soulless Collette at the back of the group. The girl had just brought her wings out, a sign which they'd learned from Vayla meant the girl perceived her surroundings as a potential source of a threat. The last thing they wanted was for the angel to lash out at someone, and it seemed that after being with the others for a month she saw them as allies of her goal of self preservation. At the very least they no longer needed to walk on eggshells around her, with her not giving so much as a twitch if they should make a sudden movement close by. As long as they kept themselves between her and anything else, then hopefully things would be fine.

His laughter fading to a few final chuckles, the young mage shook his head.

"Well at least we got in here without trouble, though I think trying to use that warrant up at the Castle might be a bad idea. The royal guards are bound to be more cautious than the ones on the city gates."

As Vayla grimaced a little, putting the warrant away by way of agreement, Raine glanced at the nearby huge stairway that climbed towards the summit of the city where the spires of the Castle were just visible over the surrounding rooftops.

"Well, as it's still only morning, perhaps we should head for the Castle and get the visit to the King over with. I don't see any point in hanging around until tomorrow to do it, and it's not as if there's any rush for us to go top up our supplies; that can wait until morning."

Vayla shrugged, setting off for the stairs.

"We might as well. Even if we end up cooling our heels in an antechamber for a few hours, we should be done in there before it gets too late."

The climb up the Great Meltokio Stairway was uneventful, the view over the city rooftops more than enough to occupy those in the group able to appreciate it. It was like this as they reached and then passed several plazas, and remained so until they were crossing the slightly larger plaza about halfway up. There was a group of women and one man coming the other way, and while Vayla and the others moved to go around them, they forgot to grab Collette who continued forward blithely and bumped into the man, almost knocking him over.

As the red head steadied himself, one of the richly dressed and clearly noble class women glared at the now stationary Collette.

"H-hey! Watch it!"

Another of the women shouted as well.

"Watch where you're going!"

It was at this point that the man, after flipping a loose strand of his long hair back over the shoulder of his pink overcoat, smiled and began what could only be described as flirting, because that was exactly what it was.

"Now now, settle down my darling hunnies." He turned, his blue-green eyes lighting up with interest as they settled on the girl who'd nearly flattened him. "Hi there my little cool beauty. Are you hurt?"

Collette remained utterly silent, not even turning her head to acknowledge the man's presence, that apparent snub setting the first woman off again.

"Well... Master Zelos himself has deigned to speak to this girl, and yet look how she acts!"

More of the women looked at Collette with expressions of distain.

"Just look at her... It's not even festival time and yet she's dressed up in an angel costume. How stupid are you?"

"Can you believe the nerve of this hag?"

Genis began to glare back, only stopped from charging up to the women by Vayla's hand on his shoulder.

"What did you say?"

Lloyd laughed.

"Genis... let it go. She's obviously never looked in a mirror..."

The woman who'd spoken clenched her fists as she shouted at the top of her voice.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

As the women around the one on the verge of attempting maiming prevented her from doing do, Raine shook her head.

"You're all behaving like children..."

To which Lloyd and Genis promptly replied.

"We are!"

The man, Zelos, lifted his hands, still smiling as he gestured to try and calm the borderline battle.

"Now now, settle down. Are you upset my little angel? You know, I bet you're as cute as a button when you smile."

He walked right up to Collette, reaching as if to put a hand on her shoulder before Lloyd or Vayla could stop him. Collette grabbed that hand, sending the man soaring into the air across the plaza.

One of the women called out in dismay.

"Ahh! Master Zelos!"

He twisted mid air, dropping to land on his feet almost thirty yards away, staring at Collette in shock.

"Whoa!" He cleared his throat a little, before the smile returned. "Wow, now _that_ was a surprise. You sure are strong my little angel. You certainly startled me."

Lloyd was surprised, a little taken aback by the speed with which the man had corrected his impromptu flight and resulting landing.

"W-who are you?"

Zelos walked over to him.

"No offence, but I'm not interested in talking to guys."

Genis gave him a disapproving glare, muttering as the man made a beeline for Raine and Vayla.

"I hate this guy already..."

Zelos ignored him, eyeing up the silver haired healer instead.

"Oo, what're your names, beautiful?"

Vayla raised an eyebrow as Raine regarded him coolly.

"Sorry, I'm already happily married."

"Give me your name and I'll give you mine."

Her brother smirked.

"Hey, you copied Lloyd."

Lloyd was smirking as well.

"Now that I've heard someone else say it, it sounds kinda arrogant."

Zelos meanwhile was looking a little put out until the smile returned yet again.

"Oh, my... So you don't know me? Well well, I guess I still have a ways to go."

The women nearby, having had enough, walked around Collette and headed for the stairs leading down from the plaza. Stopping to call back to the red head.

"Master Zelos! Let's go!"

He turned, blinking as if reminded of what he'd been doing prior to this encounter.

"Oh, yes yes, of course." He glanced again at Raine. "Well then I'll see you again. My lovely lady, my cute little angel, and... uh... you other people."

He walked off, joining the women as they began to chatter, leaving the group to watch him go.

Lloyd stared after him, baffled since as a recently adolescent alurannai, 'flirting' was a word that wasn't really in his vocabulary.

"What was all that about?"

Genis just shook his head.

"What an ass! He was grinning like an idiot the entire time! What's wrong with that guy?!"

Raine gazed after him thoughtfully.

"He had an exsphere on him..."

Genis blinked.

"What?! No way!"

Vayla sighed with resignation.

"_That_ was Zelos Wilder, Tethe'alla's Chosen of Mana. The guy is a notorious womaniser, so what you just witnessed was normal behaviour for him. I don't envy the Pope for the headaches that young man causes him. It's especially disappointing for the Alurannai, after all the trouble we went to, to try and see to it Zelos was raised as the kind of man to act as a beacon of hope to this world once it began to decline. Unfortunately the elderly alurannai woman we planted in his household as his nanny succumbed to old age when he was six, and the woman she'd been training as her replacement was chased out of Meltokio with a death sentence over her head a year before that due to a fracas where it was revealed she'd been having an affair with Zelos' father. Zelos went downhill pretty fast after our jiisumura's death, and there was nothing we could do about it."

Genis winced.

"Ouch, that's bad."

Vayla shook her head, turning and resuming the walk up to the Castle Plaza.

"It was terrible loss of effort, but we didn't dwell on it. We just moved on and made do as best we could. Now if we'll get moving again, we still have a king to visit, and to do that we need to go into the Cathedral and apply some leverage..."

The group behind her stopped dead in their tracks, Raine staring at her in confusion.

"We're going into the Cathedral?"

Vayla looked back at them, grimacing.

"The king has been ill for a while, so no one visiting Meltokio is permitted an audience with him, or allowed in the castle for that matter. If we can get in I can get us to the king with a minimum of fuss, but the only way in right now is to convince a Church affiliated person to let us enter with them as an 'escort'. Thankfully most clergymen in Meltokio speak the universal language of persuasion..."

Genis looked baffled.

"Huh?"

"Money..."

"Oh..."

Yet again they continued their walk, the alurannai woman still explaining.

"It's an established fact here in Meltokio that, if you have enough cash, the Church can get you in anywhere. I don't like resorting to such methods, but pickers can't be choosers in situations like ours, and it's times like this that I find myself reminded of how much Martel hated bribery... If she saw me now she'd skin me alive..." They finally reached the Castle Plaza, said castle standing proud behind its defensive walls nearly two hundred yards away across the open square, a towering cathedral standing amid neatly tended formal gardens to their left. Vayla led them towards it. "Well that's the Martel Cathedral, though if you want the real name of the building, it's original name, it's the Cathedral of Souls. Yggdrasil hijacked it shortly after he founded Cruxis. All traces of the Life of the Forces have been hidden though, beneath thick layers of plaster since the Spirits have prevented the removal of all the carvings on the walls inside. These days the Church probably has no idea what's hidden from their eyes."

The reached the great wooden doors, entering the Cathedral, stepping into the dim interior. The main hall was empty, the rows of pews deserted, and it was only when a door at the far rear right opened that they got confirmation that anyone was in the building at all.

A Pastor walked into the hall, a resounding grinding noise following him, turning out to be a young girl with pink hair, who was dragging a huge chunk of wooden log behind her.

"Presea, the prayers are to take place in the royal chambers. Please carry the sacred wood to the castle."

The girl nodded, her face showing no emotion at the request. She simply started dragging the wood again, passing the group and heading out the door while a certain young mage watched her until she finally passed from view.

Genis kept staring at the door which had closed behind her, a semi dazed expression on his face.

"…She's cute."

Lloyd was frowning.

"That girl he called Presea has an Exsphere, too. Is that a standard custom over here?"

Vayla shook her head.

"No, it isn't."

Genis continued to stare at the door.

"Yeah. She's really cute."

Lloyd looked at him sidelong.

"…You're not listening at all, are you?"

After regarding her brother and the door, Raine shook her head before turning her attention to the Pastor.

"Excuse me, you mentioned prayers. Are you praying for the recovery of the King?"

The clergyman nodded.

"Yes. The Chosen and the Pope will pray before His Majesty to receive the assistance of Martel."

There was a brief pause as Lloyd thought this over.

"You said the prayers will take place in the royal chambers, right?"

The pastor frowned.

"Yes, that's correct, but…"

Lloyd shook his head, heading for the door the girl had just used

"It's okay. Thanks!" As soon as they were out of earshot of the pastor he continued. "I think we just found out how we're going to see the King."

Genis, who had snapped out of his daze, looked puzzled.

"What? What are we going to do?"

The young Nartu grinned.

"We'll pretend to carry the sacred wood and sneak in."

Raine thought it over as they neared the door.

"…I thought you'd say that. But how are we going to get sacred wood?"

Lloyd rolled his eyes.

"We'll ask her to help us of course."

The next instant Genis looked like a five year old offered the world's biggest cookie.

"What?! R…really?! I agree! That's a good plan! Let's do that!"

Vayla shrugged.

"…Well, all right. Let's try talking to her, at least."

Lloyd nodded.

"Then let's catch up to her."

The group hurried out of the cathedral, coming out into the open and spotting the girl in question a short distance away. Her having stopped for a moment to apparently speak to a man who at that moment walked away as she set off dragging the wood once more.

The group ran over to her, Genis calling out.

"…Hey! Hang on a sec! Um…Presea!"

She stopped, looking back at them blankly as Raine came to a stop near her.

"Could…we have a moment of your time?"

Lloyd began to smile, doing his best not to appear threatening as he began pointing out and introducing the members of the group.

"I'm Lloyd. This is Colette and Raine and…"

He'd just pointed to his best friend when the mage spoke for himself.

"I…I'm Genis!"

The alurannai youth frowned, while Vayla looked on with barely hidden amusement.

"…Hey, Genis, why are you all flushed?"

Genis was oblivious, his attention fixed on the girl.

"Would you let us help you carry the sacred wood?" She remained silent, pausing for a moment longer before turning her back on them and moving off with the wood again; Genis reaching out with a hand as if to stop her. "W…wait!"

Presea paused again, though she didn't turn to look at them again as Raine explained.

"I'm sorry. I know this is a bit strange, but please hear us out. The truth is, we have a letter we wish to give to the King."

Lloyd's voice was filled with entreaty.

"Our friend's life depends on it. But we have a problem because the King is sick, and refuses to see anyone. It would really help us out if we could carry it for you." Still she was silent. "A…are you listening?"

She let go of the loop of rope by which she'd been dragging the wood, taking a few steps away from it.

"…Understood."

She continued to walk away leaving the sacred wood behind while Genis looked on with confusion.

"Um, Presea?"

She stopped again.

"Please carry that."

Lloyd broke out into a grin.

"Oh! Okay! Leave it to us!" Lloyd dashed over to the log, picking the entire thing up as Vayla cleared her throat to get his attention. He frowned. "What?"

The alurannai woman sighed in resignation.

"Three words... Posing as humans..."

"Oh... ok."

Lloyd set the log down again, grabbing the loop of rope and dragging it after Presea, who had once again started walking towards the gate into the castle grounds. It didn't take long for the group and Presea to reach it, and when they did the guards on the gate regarded the mixed collection of people before them with not a small amount of puzzlement.

"Wait. Is it not just Presea today?"

"Who are you people?"

Vayla quickly stepped in to cover.

"We are helping her deliver the sacred wood to use in the prayer ceremony."

And Presea followed her lead in the same flat tone she'd used to utter every other word she'd spoken in the group's presence.

"Today is…special…"

The two guards glanced at one another, before finally nodding.

"All right. You may pass."

The guards opened the gate, the group entering and briskly moving down the road within, following Presea to a side door on one of the side wings of the main part of the castle within.

Lloyd sighed with relief, Genis looking around at the small hallway they were now in.

"Well, we managed to make it inside."

"What do we do with the sacred wood?"

Presea gestured at the floor.

"…Leave it here."

Lloyd let go of the rope loop, brushing a few stray fibres off his hands.

"Okay, now, let's go look for the royal chambers."

Vayla stepped past them, heading down the hall.

"I know the layout of the whole castle. Follow me and I'll take us up there through the back passages so we won't draw attention."

Genis looked at the pink haired girl beside him.

"What will you do, Presea?"

His sister frowned.

"Yes, sending her back alone would be suspicious. Let's have her come with us."

Lloyd's eyes again pleaded for a yes.

"Would you do that for us?"

Presea stared at him, before turning and beginning to follow Vayla. It was as close to an answer they got as they proceeded to take the most convoluted route imaginable through the bowels and upper passages of the castle, the hallways eventually widening after the better part of an hour, the thick carpet now laid down the centre of the floor a sign that they were close to their destination.

Vayla picked up the pace a little, speaking in a hushed tone to Lloyd who walked beside her.

"Say nothing of what you and I are. Krishka did a little tour of Tethe'alla six years ago, revealing to the people that the Alurannai were actually still alive. Right now though to advertise that we're of that race is to draw attention that we don't want. Everyone is to keep quiet unless you're asked to speak, and even then watch your tongue. Let's keep this as simple as possible."

Lloyd frowned.

"But wouldn't it be easier to..."

Vayla cut him off.

"_Rii al utte ut juate riirka jiudeinal!"_

Lloyd fell silent at the reprimand, remaining so as they reached a t-junction, turning left down a hall whose pillar lined walls matched their counterparts to the right, heading for a large set of crest emblazoned double doors at the far end; none of them noticing the red head peering out from behind one of the pillars down that right passage.

Zelos watched them, mulling over what he'd just overheard.

_So the dark haired woman and that boy are alurannai posing as humans. But what are two alurannai, a couple of elves, and some human girl doing here in Meltokio?_

He waited until they fast talked their way past the guard outside the King's chambers, before coming out from his hiding place and following them.

_Time to find out I guess..._

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

"What's going on?!"

The man in the gold and white robes of the Pope stared at the unexpected visitors in surprise. He was stood beside a large double bed, a blond haired young woman in silken finery at the opposite side, and between them resting in the bed was a tired looking man with shoulder length mahogany hair and a neatly trimmed beard.

He pushed himself upright, just as a certain red head came in the door behind the group stopping in apparent surprise.

"…Huh? It's you people."

The Pope saw him, frowning at his words.

"Chosen, do you know them?"

Zelos shrugged.

"Well, I dunno if I'd say I know them." He looked at the group. "Just what are you people doing here?"

Raine frowned.

"So you're Tethe'alla's Chosen of Mana…"

He looked confused.

"What do you mean by "Tethe'alla's"?"

The Pope twitched, taking a step towards the group.

"Are you…from Sylvarant?!"

Lloyd nodded.

"…Yes, we are."

The woman by the bed brought a hand to her mouth, her expression fearful.

"These are people from the declining world?!"

Zelos hurried to her side.

"Princess, have no fear." He turned and regarded Lloyd. "Um…what's your name?"

"Lloyd."

Zelos folded his arms.

"Lloyd, for what purpose have you come here?"

Vayla stepped forward, in her hand was the letter given to her by her daughter.

"I am Vayla, and we've come to deliver this letter. It's from Sheena of Mizuho to the King, regarding our group and Collette, Sylvarant's Chosen."

Zelos looked startled.

"Sheena? What's your relationship with Sheena?" His gaze moved to Collette. "And that girl is Sylvarant's Chosen?"

The man on the bed struggled out of it, walking unsteadily towards the group.

"Sheena?!"

The Pope reached out to stop him.

"Your Majesty! Please forgive us for causing a disturbance in your presence."

The king ignored him.

"Vayla…give me the letter."

She approached the Tethe'allan King, handing him the letter.

"…Here it is."

He regarded it solemnly.

"People of Sylvarant, I would ask you to wait in another room for a while."

The Pope hurried to the door, speaking to the man outside.

"…Guard, show them to the Crimson Chamber."

The man's response was immediate.

"Yes, Your Eminence."

Doing as the king had asked, the group followed the guard, leaving a King, a Princess, and a Pope watching them go... and a Chosen with a very thoughtful expression on his face.

The red haired young man watching as the strange blank eyed blond girl and her companions were taken in the direction of the Scarlet Room to wait until the King and the Pope had made their decision. His eyes, more of a blue-green now than the bright green they had been when he was little, were full of conflicting emotions, as memories both from long ago and from more recently rose to the foremost part of his thoughts.

'--'-'-'-''--'--'-'-'-'--'-'-'-'--'-'-'-'-'-'

The elderly woman took hold of him by the shoulders, her voice urgent and her manner hurried. She might only have a few moments alone with him to say this.

"Zelos, you know how I taught you to remember things so you could tell them later to impress people or make them leave you alone? Well I want you to remember something and _not_ tell it to anyone. It must be kept a secret, or the Pope will hurt you trying to find out who told you it, he might even tell the Angels and they might take you away. Zelos, when you're about eighteen or nineteen the King will send someone to hurt a person in a place called Sylvarant. When that time comes I want you to be on your guard because some time after that you'll likely be approached by a person. There are only five people it may be, and their names are Forcystus, Magnius, Kvar, Rodyle, and Pronyma. The first four are men, and the last is a woman. Which ever it is, don't believe them. They'll lie to you the way the Pope lied to the people about how your father died, to try and make you side with them. The people I want you to know will be travelling with the one the King sent the person to hurt. If you meet them I want you to help them, they'll be trying to make things right so that you don't have to be the Chosen anymore. Remember this, Zelos. Remember it, but tell no one..."

He looked up at her, this woman who had been the closest thing to a mother he'd ever had. He would remember...

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

"Hello, Chosen... He who resents his position, and the prison it makes of his life..."

He spun around, turning to find a woman with deep green hair standing in the middle of the hallway behind him. It was the dead of night, and he was inside his family's home in Meltokio... A home that was guarded on all sides from intruders.

Blue-green eyes hardened. There was no trace of the amiable womaniser in his manner or his voice.

"How did you get in here? And what would _you_ know of how I feel?!"

The woman smiled, amused, her violet eyes near black in the shadows of the hallway. There was a faint glow around her, and then suddenly glittering crystalline wings of purple and black appeared at her back.

"I am Lady Pronyma, an angel of Cruxis. I bring you a proposition from he who is the Lord of the Holy Light, and Leader of the Order."

His expression didn't so much as flicker, he'd had too much practice hiding his true emotions. That name... a name he'd been warned to expect so long ago... He eyed her warily.

"What kind of proposition?"

That amused smile became more business-like.

"The Chosen of Sylvarant has been taken from the Tower of Salvation, by a small group we believe may have brought her to Tethe'alla out of spite, to keep her from fulfilling her destiny to try and awaken Martel. If they are in Tethe'alla, and seek to help her avoid that destiny, they will likely seek aid here in Meltokio, quite likely from the King since only he can authorise certain things that may be of use to them. If they come, Cruxis would like you to keep an eye on them for us and report their movements to us, by travelling with them in the guise of aiding them. If your help in this matter allows us to regain the Chosen, and punish those who took her, then we will release you from that which you hate so much... Release you from the mantle of the Chosen, and make your sister Celes the Chosen instead..."

'--'-'-'-''--'--'-'-'-'--'-'-'-'--'-'-'-'-'-'

He continued to watch them, until the door of the king's chambers was closed. Making up his mind, he turned his attention to the King who had begun to read the letter from Sheena aloud.

_Trust the words of the one who taught me to trust those who treat me as a person... Or trust the words of the one that would have me betray others for my own benefit? That boy, Lloyd, and that woman that looks like Sheena. They were alurannai... and those words that Vayla spoke in... They sound like the same language as that song that Aunt Hiria sang to me as a lullaby... Was... Was she alurannai? Is _that_ why she knew so much?_

Right now, as he walked back into the King's chambers, he would get no answers. All he could do was make his choice and pray it was the right one.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

The group waited in the Scarlet Room, aptly named since everything in it was red, from walls to carpet to the soft furnishings. Even the wood in the room had been stained a dark read, and all in all it made the atmosphere in the room a rather macabre one. What with all the red making it seem as if they might be sat in a slaughter house.

Lloyd sighed.

"They're making us wait a long time."

Raine looked over to where he paced from her seat on one of the red sofas.

"They may be preparing to kill us. To them, Colette is an obstacle."

Genis shifted nervously in his own seat beside his sister.

"…If things turn out like that, what will become of Presea?"

Everyone looked at the pink haired girl, where she stood beside the ember eyed Collette. Lloyd's expression was solemn.

"We'll have to find some way to let her escape."

Genis stared at the floor.

"I'm sorry for dragging you into this, Presea."

The girl remained silent, not uttering the slightest of whispers even as the door of the room opened and the Pope entered, two Papal Knights, Zelos, and a King's Knight coming in behind him.

The King's Knight spoke from behind the closed visor of his helm.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, travellers from Sylvarant. The King had much to think about in considering your request."

Lloyd had stopped his pacing, his eyes now hopeful.

"So you read the letter?"

Zelos folded his arms, eyeing up the group.

"You want to use Tethe'allan technology to save the Chosen from your side…right?"

The young Nartu nodded.

"Colette has lost her soul. She'll lose her life as a human if she stays this way."

The Pope scowled.

"But as long as the Chosen lives, our world teeters on the brink of destruction."

Zelos looked surprised as the two Papal Knights closed in on Collette.

"Wait a sec!"

Lloyd moved to stop them.

"Wait, please! Listen to what we..."

The Pope glared at him.

"I don't want to hear it! Get them!"

The two knights tried to grab Collette, only to be flung into the wall of the room with enough force to break bones. Zelos winced over the moans of pain as the two now terrified knights scrambled from the room as fast as their injuries would let them.

He sighed.

"I could have told you she'd do that. They have exspheres, so of course they're powerful... not to mention you just disobeyed the king with that stunt." Zelos smirked a little. "Take it easy, Kartoffel, I said I'd go with them to keep tabs on them. So long as they don't go back to Sylvarant they can't complete the Ritual, so Tethe'alla is safe. You have the word of Zelos, the Chosen of Mana, that it will not be allowed to happen."

Vayla got up from her chair in the far corner.

"So you've negotiated a compromise for us, have you? How pleasant."

Zelos put on the smile from just that morning.

"Anything to help a pretty lady. What man abandons a damsel in distress?"

The ebon haired woman shook her head.

"Any with common sense apparently." She sighed. "Fine, we agree to the deal of having you keep tabs on us in return for allowing us use of the facilities we need to cure Collette."

Genis, who had been frowning thoughtfully, chose that moment to speak.

"Kartoffel... Hey, Lloyd, isn't that...?"

Lloyd bit back a snort of laughter, covering his mouth to hide his grin.

"Yeah, it's the ancient Balacrucian word for 'potato'."

Zelos turned and slowly looked at the Pope, who was turning as scarlet as the walls.

"Pope Potato? Hehe, nice name..."

Holding back whatever retort he might have had in mind, the Pope stormed out of the room, leaving just the group, Zelos, and the King's Knight.

The knight chuckled.

"Man I've wanted to point that out for ages, but ticking him off wasn't exactly the best thing for my cover." He turned his head to face Vayla. "Long time no see, Vayla, I was overjoyed to hear that you'd found Alysii... and to think the girl had been right under my nose several times over the years." He pulled off his helm, revealing amused blue eyes and a head of bright blond hair. "Still, it's good to know everything is fine now."

Zelos was looking back and forth between the knight and Vayla in confusion.

"Hey, hey, hey! Wait a sec, Sanru, you _know_ this alurannai chick?"

Vayla started.

"How did you know I was...?"

Zelos, realising his slip, grimaced.

"I was in the hallway to your right when you turned the corner and headed to the King's Chambers. I overheard you speaking to Lloyd. I didn't tell the King though, or the Pope. What you hide from them is your business and not mine." He looked again at the knight. "So are you going to tell me how you know her you secretive bastard. You've pummelled me with a sword often enough in the guise of 'teaching' me sword skills that you owe me at least that much."

The knight scratched his head, looking anywhere but at the irate Chosen's face.

"Well um... Since you know she's alurannai I guess I can explain how I know her... To be honest I've known her for the better part of five thousand years; we met five years after the start of the Kharlan War..." Zelos was frozen in shock. The knight laughed uncomfortably. "I suppose this might be a good time to tell you that my name isn't actually Sanru Keran, it's Sanaro Keru of the Nine Companions..."

Zelos looked as though he was about to faint.

"One... one of the guys who helped end the Kharlan War is still alive and has been hanging around playing at being a Knight?" Shock turned to fury. "And you didn't tell me, a guy you told you saw as a friend?! You _JERK!_"

The red headed Chosen shoved Sanaro aside and left the room, the blond knight watching him go.

"I guess I shouldn't have dumped that on him, but by his reaction he'll get over it."

Vayla, frowning with concern, walked over to the man's side.

"Sanaro, was that wise to tell him? He could completely blow your cover, and by the looks of it he's angry enough to!"

Sanaro regarded her, his expression calm and composed, such was his certainty.

"I'm guessing you've see his 'arrogant flirting' routine. Don't let it fool you, he's actually a nice guy under it all. He also hates the Pope's guts, and confides what he knows to no one. He won't say a word about me to anyone, or about you and Lloyd for that matter. Getting Zelos to spill what he knows is like trying to get blood out of a stone." He took a step towards the door, glancing back once before putting his helm back on. "Zelos will head for his family's mansion to clear his head, so I'd suggest meeting up with him there. If you want some more intel on the state of Tethe'alla from the people's perspective, pay a visit to the sewers beneath the Nobles District before you head to his place. Second alley on the left after the entrance, halfway down. The cover is bolted down, but a mental shout will get someone to open it for you. I'd send you to her using _my_ route, but I don't want to draw attention to it or to me." He hurried from the room. "Good luck, and may the Spirits watch over us all..."

Vayla didn't give anyone in the group a chance to speak, she just left the room after the knight and led them to the castle's main door, out into the gardens, and then out though the gates. It was only once the group had slipped down the alley between the second and third mansions on the left of the entrance to the Nobles District that she said anything.

"Well as you heard, that was Sanaro. I just hope that little stunt of his with Zelos doesn't backfire." They reached the manhole cover that the knight had described. "This day has gone from simple to mentally breaking down complicated." She reached out with her mind and 'shouted'. **Open up, Sanaro says you have some intel for us.**

All of them felt a mental nudge, the kind of nudge someone very practiced with a receiver crystal uses to get people to 'listen'. They did so.

_/I'll be right there. Give me a moment to clear the junk. I swear if Kaleian dumps any more of his trash in my office I'm going to strangle him! ./_

The metal cover lifted, exposing the face of a blue haired elven woman looking up at them from ten feet below. She waved them down, magically pulling the cover back into place behind them and leading them though an apparently solid wall. It was just an illusion however. Inside was a fairly spacious room whose every spare inch of wall was packed with book and scroll crammed shelves, the few tables about the room also littered with literary paraphernalia. Picking several armfuls of dumped cloaks and a few odd shoes, the woman exposed a pair of battered couches. The only place in the room where a person might sleep, though given the mess she'd just cleared off them, they weren't being used for that. What's more the room had no source of water, and no means of cooking, causing some confused looks from the two half-elves in the group.

Seeing them and guessing the reason, the woman, who was a full head shorter than Raine, explained.

"I'm a Crystal User, so I don't need to eat, drink, or sleep. Going without makes it easier to keep this place hidden, though with Kaleian Yorei dumping all his damaged-beyond-repair clothing in here I'm going to have to arrange a trash run to get rid of it all." She tilted her head, her pale blue eyes tinged green by they golden light from the glowing crystals that lit the room. "I'm Gaea Silverleaf, chief secretary of Sanaro's little spy network. He started setting it up a while back, and since we had little else to do, Kaleian and I asked around to some of our fellow Crystal Users and enlisted a few volunteers. There are over a two hundred Crystal Users in the network now, with nearly fifty of them right here in Meltokio, hence why I have so much paperwork. Still, the info they're getting is good, so I shouldn't complain.

"Right now, though you don't really notice it at first glance, the whole kingdom is in turmoil. All magitechnology above a certain mana requirement has become unusable, except certain key pieces of infrastructure which have been bolstered through use of large mana collectors built near them. The Grand Tethe'alla bridge is one of them, and with all but the smallest of skimmers now stranded, it's the key trade route between the Meltokio Continent and the Gaorachia Continent. The Rymett'riron Continent, which has only a handful of smaller cities and towns, is now effectively isolated, and the Altarniam Continent is little better. The only advantage that continent has is its abundance of large cruise ships which utilise sails. Those ships have been turned from tourist boats to vessels for transport and trade, and right now the Lezareno Company, which owns them, effectively has a trade monopoly over all of eastern Tethe'alla. Thankfully the company seems to be acting for the best of the people, and is hiring out the ships at more than reasonable rates. There was even an announcement last month by the Vice CEO of the company that they've put their shipyard up to full production on building ships which utilize some of the other 'archaic' methods of propulsion, with several solid and liquid fuel based engines being tested to replace the mana fuelled ones. All in all, those efforts have stopped Tethe'alla's economy from failing, but the loss of so much magitechnology is still making the people extremely nervous."

As Gaea dumped her armful of clothing on one of the rare sections of empty floor, Vayla regarded the Crystal User thoughtfully.

"So you're Gaea Silverleaf? You've been out of sight for a long time, the Alurannai had no idea if you were even alive or dead, never mind where to find you."

The sapphire haired woman gave her a long look.

"If you'd asked the Elves then you would have found me rather easily, since I check in with them regularly at Heimdall, at least once a century. On my last visit about ten years ago, Kaleian was waiting there for me to show up. He told me about what Sanaro was setting up, and after that I volunteered to help. Just because I'd been seen by no one but the Elves for twenty millennia, it doesn't mean I'm dead. Just look at Kaleian, he vanishes for that long on a regular basis and you never doubt that _he's_ still around."

She sounded a little annoyed, and for a moment Vayla could have sworn she'd seen a spark leap between the woman's fingertips.

"Sorry, it's just that Kaleian is a _lot_ older than you and we know from experience what his habits are; but you've been out of contact with us for over two thirds of your age. The last time we heard from you was nearly _fifteen thousand years_ before the start of the Kharlan War."

Gaea just shrugged, while Genis and Raine gawked in shock, the latter managing to speak.

"You're twenty-seven thousand years old?!"

The elven woman looked at her, a tiny hint of amusement lighting her eyes.

"Twenty-seven thousand three hundred and twenty-six to be precise, though compared to Kaleian I'm a mere child. He's the unofficial leader of the Crystal Users, and the oldest of us all. While none of us know his true age, by recounting what the present day Users have learned from those who came before, we know he's more than three hundred thousand years old."

Vayla chuckled.

"Add another fifty thousand to that and you're a lot closer, though he's a long way behind the oldest of the Alurannai, Yasin." She glanced at Genis and Raine. "Yasin is the only surviving alurannai other than Kratos to have invoked our ability to stop aging. The other three were killed by illness, but Yasin survived. He's only rarely seen, most of us live our whole lives having never met him, though I know Kratos has. We don't talk about him much, mainly to respect his feelings." She turned back to Gaea. "Is Kaleian in Meltokio right now? It would be good if I could speak with him. He has intimate knowledge of Rodyle's Ranch, and although he wrote everything down for him, I know Yuan would like the chance to confirm certain things with him before he settles on any particular plan regarding Thor's Hammer."

Flicking a length of her blue hair over her shoulder, Gaea gave them a small smile.

"You're in luck then, because I'm due to meet him in about an hour. You're free to come with me, Vayla." Ice blue eyes drifted to the rest of the group. "But you'll have to go somewhere else. The place I'm meeting him is small, and also a large group stands a greater chance of being spotted by the City Guard. I suggest you head to an inn or something."

Vayla turned and looked at them.

"Go to Zelos' home as Sanaro suggested. I'll meet you there in three hours."

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

The Wilder Family Mansion was huge, set behind a high wall and wrought iron gates, it dwarfed the residences to either side. Within that wall there were neatly tended gardens, raked gravel paths, and an assortment of statuary. Everything spoke of the wealth of Tethe'alla's Mana Lineage, but it also spoke of their isolation from the people. There were Church Guards everywhere, at the gates, on small watch towers around the walls, and even patrolling the outer perimeter of the gardens. This place, draped in riches, was clearly more of a gilded cage than a home.

One of the guards led them to the door, Zelos having left word at the gate to let the group in should they come looking for him. Once inside a butler had taken them up the sweeping arc of the main staircase in the opulent entrance hall, proceeding then to lead them along a number of passages until they were certainly near the end of one of the mansion's wings. He'd paused only briefly, indicating they should enter the double doors he'd brought them to, leaving them then to return to whatever duties he might have had.

As he walked away, the group went through the doors, finding themselves in a small library, the red headed Chosen sat in a window seat on the far side.

He turned his head sharply, hesitating for only a moment before smiling.

"Yo, Lloyd! You're finally here."

The alurannai youth regarded him apologetically.

"Um, sorry about what happened back at the castle. None of us were particularly tactful back there when Sanaro upset you like that."

The smile seemed to flicker for a moment, before Zelos waved a hand dismissively.

"Look, let's just forget about it. Sanru, or should I say Sanaro, has been my sword tutor for ten years. I was just annoyed that after he'd said to me not that long ago that he saw me as a friend, I find out he'd been keeping such a huge secret from me." He shrugged. "But it's still pretty cool though, since it means I've just found out I've had one of history's great heroes as my teacher. Anyways, as for you guys, we're going to be travelling together for a while, so, um…let's be friends, mmkay?"

As Zelos got up from the window seat and walked over still smiling, Genis muttered under his breath.

"He sounds like he doesn't take anything seriously. He just dropped what happened back there like it was nothing."

Zelos, having not heard the muttered words, proceeded to take in just who was in the group.

"Let's see, putting aside the two guys…this gorgeous beauty is Raine, right? And then this cool cutie here would be Colette. And then who's this little one?"

He was looking at the pink haired girl at the back, the one who hadn't uttered a word since they'd left the sacred wood in the hallway back at the castle.

Genis sidestepped towards her, a little defensive.

"Presea. She helped us sneak into the castle."

Zelos frowned.

"The little one isn't from Sylvarant?"

It was then that Presea finally broke her silence, though it was with only one word.

"…Ozette."

Zelos took a step back, surprised.

"Ozette! That village out in the boondoc…ah, I mean, out in the forest?! Oh, that's so sad. You're being used by these uncivilized barbarians."

Lloyd frowned.

"Who are you calling uncivilized barbarians?"

The red head backed up, making a placating gesture with his hands.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't get mad. Especially after all the trouble I went through to contact the Imperial Research Academy for you."

Lloyd eased up on his glare.

"Not bad, Zelos."

Zelos' expression became a little smug.

"I know. Using the Research Academy requires permission from the King, but when the great Zelos speaks, His Majesty listens."

This time Genis spoke loud enough to hear.

"Since you're going to be keeping tabs on us, I'd certainly expect that much."

Zelos scowled at him.

"You're an obnoxious brat, you know?"

Shaking her head at the petty name calling, Raine looked at the girl from Ozette.

"Going to the Imperial Research Academy is fine, but can we have you free Presea? Surely you don't need to keep tabs on her as well."

Zelos stopped glaring at the young mage, shaking his head.

"No. The Imperial Research Academy and Ozette are both on the continent across the sea. So we can just drop her off when we go."

Genis suddenly became very cooperative.

"I…I agree! That's a great idea!!"

Lloyd glanced at the girl.

"Is that okay with you, Presea?"

She looked at him with empty blue eyes, speaking after a moment.

"…Yes."

Lloyd nodded.

"Okay then, we should probably set off for the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge in the morning after we stock up on supplies. We can decide for certain once Vayla get's back."

Zelos' expression became enquiring.

"Just where is that alurannai chick anyway? I thought she'd have stayed with you."

Lloyd shrugged.

"She's gone to speak with a friend of Sanaro's and told us she'd be back in a few hours."

Zelos headed for the door.

"Well then, I invite you to make yourselves at home. The servants will show you to the guest rooms and also where the dining room is. You're free to roam the mansion as you wish, except for my personal quarters and the nursery."

Raine frowned.

"Why the nursery?"

"_Because I said so!_"

He hurried away from them, not looking back as a tense silence fell. The members of the group looked at each other, puzzled, before they left the library and headed down the hallway towards the mansion's entrance.

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

She walked through the gardens, listening to the silent songs of the plants within it. Her meeting with Kaleian had turned into a lengthy one, and had prompted the man to head for the Flanoir Base as soon as it was over. As a result she'd arrived at the mansion well after nightfall, the group members all asleep, Collette left in one of the guest rooms under the watchful eye of the Spirit of Unity. Too worked up to sleep herself, she'd decided to take a walk in the gardens around the Wilder residence.

Vayla stopped beside a raised bed full of spring flowers, eyes moving from the delicate white heads of Snow Drops to the vibrant golds and purples of newly blooming crocus, those colours muted by the shadows of the night even to her eyes. It was then that she heard a sigh.

She turned, only then spotting the young man stood in a small secluded glade a short distance away, the clearing partially hidden by the hedge of trimmed yew around it. She walked over to it and entered, her expression hardening as determination to find out if he was a threat to the group warred with her own common sense, stopping just a few yards from him and speaking in a clipped tone.

"Just why did you help us back there, Zelos? Why are you here? You hardly seem the type to do something unless it was for his own benefit."

Vayla regarded him warily. He was stood beside a fountain, here where only the moonlight made each of them visible to the other. He turned, his face half cast in shadow, the other cast in the silver light of that moon. Like a reflection of the two faces he wore. The one she'd seen earlier, and another... for a startled moment she realised that the self confident expression from before was gone, and in it's place was an expression more befitting one who felt lost and alone.

He gazed at her sadly, no smile on his face.

"I could lie and say I'm here to spy on your group for a green haired bitch of an angel called Pronyma, and her 'Lord of the Holy Light' master... Or I could tell you the truth and say I'm doing it for my sister, and for one of the only people I knew in my childhood who treated me as an individual and not a title... One of the only adults who was honest with me... or at least as honest as she _could_ be without putting me in danger. I'm in this for Celes, and for Hiria... who I'm not even sure if I truly knew who or what she was anymore..."

Vayla gaped, stunned. After a few moments she began to stutter.

"H-Hiria... asked you help us? When?"

Zelos' expression was solemn.

"So I'm right... She _was_ alurannai, wasn't she... As for when she asked me, it was just over a year before she died. Not that long after that bastard of a Pope got my father killed and blamed it on Celes' mother, Kara. She told me, warned me, that some time after the King would send someone to hurt a person in a place called Sylvarant, I would likely be approached by one of five people. Forcystus, Magnius, Kvar, Rodyle, or Pronyma, and that they would ask me to do something for them, to spy on a group containing the one that the King had wanted 'hurt'... Though I now know the proper term is 'killed'. She told me that the group would arrive some time after that visit, and that the group would be trying to make things so that _no one_ had to be the Chosen anymore... Pronyma offered to make my _sister_ the Chosen instead of me if I did what they asked, but everything I endure as the Chosen, I do it so that Celes will _never_ have to... There's no way I'm gonna let my sister be hurt and treated the way I have." He looked up at the moon, the silver light paling the blue-green of his eyes. "I want this to end... this system that calls for the sacrifice of childhoods, of lives, a system which to me makes _no sense!_ ..._That_ is why I'm here." He turned and began to walk away. "I'd appreciate if you kept all this to yourself... If I want to tell the others in the group about my crappy childhood, I'll do it myself... As for Pronyma, I told her I'd do it. If you want to filter some false information to Cruxis regarding what the group is doing, let me know and I'll make sure they get it..."

Vayla took a step after him, but stopped.

"Lloyd knows what we want Cruxis to think, just follow his lead. He'll feed you the roles as things go along... And if you want to talk to him about your childhood, he'll understand... He may never have had the chance to meet her, his being born after you, but just so you know, Hiria was his great grandmother... She gave up the final years of her life, never seeing her family again. Never getting the chance to see him... So that she could watch over you..."

Zelos paused for a moment, looking back at her, before nodding and walking off to disappear into the darkness of the night.

Vayla stared after him, long after her ears had told her he was gone.

_It seems I've misjudged you, Zelos. Hiria taught you better than any of the Alurannai had realised, and all this time you've hidden your true self so well that even we didn't spot it... She would be very proud of you..._

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

**Alaia Skyhawk: Aww, poor Zelos. I think it's obvious now which path with him I'll be following, though considering that since I'm gonna write a sequel based on Dawn of the New World, I'd have to use the ending where he lives anyway. Happy reading :D**

**Also, this is what Vayla said to Lloyd. 'We do this the way we decided.' (As in the way it was decided for the Plan)**


	55. Road Trip in a New World

**Alaia Skyhawk: This focuses on Zelos and Lloyd, but does get a chunk of the travelling out of the way XD**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

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Chapter 55: Road Trip in a New World

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Unsure at the reason for his being sought out, the young Nartu followed the servant through the upper passages of the mansion's east wing. It was early morning, breakfast having only been served a hour before, the group splitting up again to various rooms after to relax for what would be the final day in Meltokio before leaving; Vayla having insisted on the short break after the previous month spent travelling. He'd been about to return to his guest room when the servant had stopped him a short way from the dining room, and now that servant was taking him to the master of the house, Zelos, having not eaten with the rest of them, apparently wanting to speak with him.

The servant stopped beside a set of double doors, deep in what Lloyd knew was the family area of the building. The servant left him there, and after hesitating for a moment, Lloyd opened the door and went in... and immediately stopped in surprise at what he saw.

The room was spacious, its pale yellow walls decorated here and there with simple images of animals in bright colours. A large crib, devoid of any blankets and such at this time, stood by one wall, and there were toy's of all sizes stacked by the walls but for those such as the rocking horse which stood proud near the small blue couch near one of the windows, the occupant of that couch looking up at him.

Zelos regarded the expression of confusion on the alurannai youth's face, no trace of the usual smile on his own as he spoke in a subdued voice.

"...Hi..."

Lloyd headed towards him, frowning in puzzlement.

"I thought you said the nursery was off-limits to us. Why did you have that servant ask me to come here?"

Zelos sighed.

"Because this is the one room in this part of the building that I can be certain doesn't have eavesdropping enchantments buried in the walls..."

Lloyd stopped in shock.

"What?"

Zelos sighed again.

"The Church keeps a close eye on my family, but having the screams of infants screaming into their ears via the spells is something they clearly wanted to avoid. Anyways, I wanted to tell you that I spoke to Vayla last night, out in the gardens. She confronted me, wanting to know why it was I was helping you guys, and I can't blame her given the reputation I've built around myself for so long." He snorted in self depreciation. "'Zelos the snob', 'flirting extraordinaire', is just a front I use to keep people at a distance, and it wasn't until she stormed up to me last night that she found that out. Only the few people I trust have ever seen this side of me, Sebastian, the servant who brought you up here, is one of them. He's the only servant in this whole damn mansion that I can trust..."

Lloyd crossed the rest of the distance between them, sitting down beside the red head.

"So why did you decide to trust me? You only met me yesterday."

Zelos looked at his hands.

"There's another reason I called you to this particular room..."

"Huh?"

Zelos looked at him with sad eyes.

"Because this is the room where your great grandmother, Hiria, raised me before she died. Vayla told me you two were related, and that because she was looking after me, she never got the chance to see you. I figured it would be nice if you could be close to her this once, even if only in this small way. I owe Hiria a lot, and I know for certain that, if not for what she taught me, I'd truly be the arrogant bastard you met yesterday." Lloyd remained silent, stunned. "As for why I'm helping, it's because I want to end the Regeneration System, end the sacrifices of the Chosens, the destruction of theirs and so many other's lives. One reason I'm helping is because one of the last things Hiria was able to say to me out of the hearing of others, was to tell me to expect a group of people from Sylvarant to come, and to help them. The other is because I want to protect my sister, to free her from the prison of our lineage."

Lloyd's eyes filled with sympathy, but also with tears for Hiria.

"Thank you, for deciding to help us, and thank you for showing me this place. You've trusted me, and so I think I can trust you with this; though Dallinius will insist on you swearing to a geas of silence."

Zelos' expression became both curious and confused.

"Why a geas? And who's Dallinius?"

Lloyd shook his head.

"I'll introduce you to him properly later, and I can't say the reason for the geas unless you've already sworn to it. Now swear: 'I, Zelos Wilder, agree to the geas of silence. Thus should I attempt to repeat, with intent or by accident, what I am to hear in this circle, the words will cease on my breath and not be uttered'."

The Chosen frowned, before reluctantly repeating the oath, a circle of magic appearing around them from somewhere, probably that 'Dallinius'.

"I, Zelos Wilder, agree to the geas of silence. Thus should I attempt to repeat, with intent or by accident, what I am to hear in this circle, the words will cease on my breath and not be uttered. There, can you tell me now what is so secret?"

Lloyd cleared his throat.

"You know the Prophesy of Restoration? The one that the Summon Spirits of Life and Birth go around teaching the people every few generations?"

Zelos stared at him like he'd lost it.

"Well yeah, Hiria taught me it. Made me promise never to forget it, too. Why ask?"

The Nartu looked anywhere but at the red head.

"You're not the only 'Chosen' in this room... I'm the Chosen of Restoration. The 'child born of the forest' that the Prophesy talks about." Zelos was stunned silent. Lloyd continued, his voice holding a note of urgency. "Now I'm going to tell you some other things you need to know, about Cruxis, and why my friends and I are really here in Tethe'alla. I'm only going to say them once, so listen carefully..."

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

"So how much further is that dumb bridge, Zelos?"

"Shut it, Twerp, you're getting on my nerves."

"Give it a rest, Genis. I know you don't like him, but could you leave him alone? Your picking at each other is getting on _all_ our nerves..."

Genis sighed, turning his head to face away from the target of his annoyance while everyone else in the group sighed inwardly in relief for the respite. They'd been on the road together for two and a half weeks, and during that time the young mage had flat refused to accept the presence of the red headed Chosen. Of the seven members of the original group from Sylvarant, only Lloyd and Dallinius knew that Zelos was now 'in' on the Plan. The Nartu and Spirit had elected to keep quiet about it until Zelos had become established within the group, but with Genis continuing to be stubborn it looked as if that might take a long while.

Zelos suppressed a groan; 'speaking' using the private link the Spirit of Unity had spelled his receiver crystal with.

_/Thanks, Lloyd. I can't blame him for disliking me though, and that one time I tried to be real self in front of him he accused me of putting on an act. It looks like my alter ego has come back to kick me in the butt./_

Lloyd let out the tiniest of sighs.

**He's just defensive because of the way you hit on Collette, Vayla, and his sister back in Meltokio. That and the way you didn't seem to take anything seriously. Give him some time and he'll come around. Raine may still be suspicious, but she'll relax once she's had the time to get a measure of your actions, and Collette, once she's back to normal, won't have any problem with you at all.**

Zelos glanced to his left, to the young pink haired girl who walked along in silence.

_/What about her? Have you figured out what's wrong with her yet? ./_

Lloyd glanced at Presea as well, a hint of concern showing in his eyes.

**I only got a close look at her exsphere the once, and she hasn't let me get that close since. She's extremely defensive of it, and unless I can examine it properly I can't figure out why it's making her so subdued. I just wish I'd spotted there was something weird about it back in Meltokio, but we were so hyped up with getting the King's permission that we kinda ignored the fact that she wasn't just quiet, she was **_**too**_** quiet. She's almost like Collette, with no emotion. The only difference is that she's eating, sleeping, and speaking just fine. If Vayla were here then maybe she would know what's wrong with that thing.**

Zelos frowned a little.

_/You know, you _could_ use that little whistle you have. Just send a message to her asking for her to come take a look, and get it sorted out now./_

Lloyd shook his head.

**I can't. Vayla left because there's important work she's needed for back in Nae Shiu, and I'm not going to call her back from that when, right now, Presea's condition clearly isn't life threatening. I know it's callous, but Collette comes first right now, since right now we know what we need to do to restore her to normal. All we need is the equipment at Sybak, since my ata taught me what I needed to know to remove the spell bindings before we set off from the base. Though I suppose we'll have to play along with 'asking' the researchers how to cure her. We don't want the king to know just yet that we lied to him back there.**

While it didn't show on the Chosen's face, the sense of guilt was there in his 'voice'.

_/The king is a nice guy, he's another of the few people who've seen the 'real' me. He keeps the Pope off my back as best he can, and the members of the aristocracy as well, and in return I give the Royal Family my support as the Chosen and look out for his daughter for him. Hilda is probably the first princess in a few thousand years to have been raised to think for herself. She accepts that she won't get to choose her husband, but in all other things, in private, the king lets her make her own decisions. He hates the system of nobles planning out every detail of their children's lives as much as I do, and it was him who offered to assign Sanaro to be my sword tutor and bodyguard when I was ten. Having Sanaro around helped me a lot./_

Lloyd began to look back into his own memories, dredging up everything involving the blond knight.

**I don't remember a huge amount about Sanaro. Most of what I remember of him involves him babysitting me, playing games with me and things like that. He's a great guy with kids though, definitely. I remember Vayla saying to him once that he'd make a great father.**

Zelos nodded.

_/Yeah, he would. He's the closest thing I've had to a father, since my own pretty much ignored me until a few months before he died, and he realised just how much I really meant to him. My mother was a jerk from start to finish, and Hiria was probably the closest I've had to having one. Hiria was the only one who treated me as a child, and not a title, right from the start, and losing her was the most devastating thing I've gone through in my life. The death of my mother at Kara's hands didn't even make me flinch; as far as I was concerned my mother was little more than a stranger. Kara being executed afterwards hurt far more... She was my sister's mother after all, and the one who was supposed to become my nanny once Hiria was gone. I ended up with a bitch called Teral, and she never once offered me any kind of affection. It was all lessons, protocol, and strict rules with her. When Hiria died, that was the day my childhood ended./_

Something in his expression told Lloyd that the conversation was over for now, and that Zelos just wanted to think about those days he'd had so long ago. The Nartu respected that wish, grateful all the same for the brief glimpse of that life lived under the watchful eyes of his great grandmother.

Turning his attention back to the well tended road they walked along, Lloyd narrowed his eyes to focus on the lands ahead. He could smell the sea on the wind, it was clearly close, but the hilly terrain blocked everything beyond the next bend in the road from view. With sight and smell being useless for what he wanted, he turned his hearing to the task instead, concentrating on blocking out the sounds of his companions and the wind over the grass around them, listening for the tell tale sound of surf on shore. Sure enough he found it, and picking up his pace he moved to the front of the group.

"I can hear the sea, so we're less than a mile from the bridge. It must be just around that bend."

Genis sighed with relief.

"Finally... Something else to look at other than grass, rocks, and more grass."

Raine reached out and gave him a light clip round the back of the head.

"Stop it, Genis. After all the travelling we did in Sylvarant, you never once acted like you have the last two weeks. You told me once that you weren't a child anymore; that you were growing up, so act like it. Remember why we're doing this, and stop complaining like a spoiled brat."

Her irritation having reached breaking point, the scene before them silenced the others in the group, Zelos stepping sideways out of sight behind Noishe. The brief flicker of guilt on his face revealing that he considered himself to be the cause of the problems, never mind that if Genis had been a little more accepting then things wouldn't have come to this. It was about twenty minutes later that with some silent praising of the Spirits, that Lloyd led the group up and onto the embarkation area at the start of the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge.

As Genis and Raine stared at it in awe, Zelos decided to try and make at least an attempt at getting them to give him a chance.

"This is the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge. It's a little over three hundred and fifty miles long, and the crossing using the trams takes about five hours. I've been across it a few times, and the views when you pass some of the small islands along the way are some of the nicest in Tethe'alla."

Raine seemed genuinely interested, but Genis continued to be wary.

"And how the heck do they stabilise the mana flow to push the trams that far and that fast? I may be only fourteen, but I know enough about mana to know that normal magitechnology can't sustain force over that kind of distance."

Zelos flinched, as in his mind he 'heard' Lloyd starting to curse. The Chosen having revealed to the Nartu that he knew how exspheres were charged that day back in the nursery. Zelos grimaced as he answered; he knew his most recent attempt to get Genis to give him a chance was about to crash and burn.

"There are fifteen hundred charged exspheres embedded in the power converters at each end of the bridge. The exspheres stabilise the mana flow and allow the forces to be sustained the full length of the bridge..."

The young mage stared at him in horror, before that horror became disgust.

"Three thousand people lost their lives to power that thing? And the people of Tethe'alla accept that?!"

Zelos grimaced.

"Most Tethe'allans don't know how exspheres are charged, since all such exspheres are bought from brokers who get them charged after buying raw, newly mined exspheres from the Lezareno Company. I didn't know myself until recently, and it's so hushed up that chances are the Lezareno Company has no idea what's involved in 'processing' the raw stones. Duke Bryant, the owner of Lezareno, is well known for his dislike of slavery and discrimination. If he knew he'd have closed the mines years ago."

Genis was still glaring.

"It all sounds like a bunch of cheap excuses to me."

Lloyd decided then that enough was enough.

"Let it go, Genis. Let Zelos be, he's trying his best to prove himself but you're hardly helping. _I'm_ trusting him, aren't I? And what about what Lord Krishka told you, about judging people by first appearances and not looking beneath. For Spirit's sake, Genis, give Zelos a chance!"

Lloyd walked away over the tan paving, towards the control booth set into the side of the blue-grey metal arch that towered over the floor of the bridge. Meanwhile Genis was staring after him in shock at the reprimand, stopping after a few moments to glance almost guiltily in Zelos' direction. No word was uttered for the next five hours, as the group sat in the tram and watched the sea rush by far far below. It was dark by the time they arrived at the other side, and it was in continued silence that they set up camp a short way from the bridge.

It was only as he was heading into his tent that Genis spoke again.

"Zelos... Sorry for being such a jerk. I'll give you a chance, but if you do anything the slightest bit suspicious, I'll burn you to a crisp. Got it?"

The Chosen looked at the boy with surprise, before allowing himself a small smile.

"Sure thing, kid." Nothing else was said, as the group members each went to their own tents in turn as Lloyd settled himself down as night watch and also to keep an eye on Collette. As he walked past the alurannai he whispered just loud enough for him to hear. "Thanks for clearing that up, Lloyd."

Lloyd smiled, his voice echoing in the Chosen's head.

**No problem. Hey, what's a nanu for?**

Zelos paused, glancing back.

_/What's a nanu? ./_

**Nothing, don't worry about it.**

_/Lloyd, tell me what the heck a 'nanu' is! ./_

**Go to bed and I **_**might**_** tell you in the morning.**

Zelos began to grumble under his breath, retreating into his tent as Lloyd continued to smile.

Lloyd then looked up at the stars overhead.

_Sheena is _so_ gonna throttle me when she get's back. She thinks you're a jerk, Zelos, so I know she's gonna flip when she finds out I've 'adopted' you... I wonder how she's doing right now..._

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

The ebon haired girl peered through the early dawn light, watching as the settlement before her came to life beneath that pale light. This valley, a valley surrounded by mountains, studded with pine trees, and given life by the crystal clear river that flowed through it. It had been four years since she'd left here, heading for the Otherworldly Gate on her mission to assassinate Sylvarant's Chosen. So much had changed since then, and she had no idea how the people of the village were going to take it...

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of her place of concealment and walked up to the gate, the man standing there recognising her immediately. However, the greeting he gave her was less than welcoming.

"Sheena! So you've come crawling back after failing your mission! We got a transmission two weeks ago from our agent in Meltokio, saying that Sylvarant's Chosen was seen in the city! Do you have any idea what will happen to this village because of you?!"

She winced. She'd been expecting something like this, but still, to hear it said still hurt. After all, this place had been her home for twelve years.

"I would ask that you have everyone gather at the Meeting Grounds. I have much to report of what has occurred since I left, and it needs to be heard by all..."

He didn't utter another word, instead turning his back on her and walking into the village, she knew he would do as she'd asked though. Even if only for the chance that the meeting would turn into a trial.

Watching him go, Sheena sighed.

_Well here goes..._

She walked through the gate, ignoring the glares she was getting from those she passed, walking through this village of thatched-roofed wooden houses that was quickly becoming a gauntlet of angry mutterings and faces. It seemed like almost an eternity before she reached the small island adjacent to the one upon which the Chief's house stood, the flat grass covered earth hidden beneath the feet of those waiting there, and in turn those that crossed the narrow bridge onto the island behind her. Now beneath the full regard of the people of Mizuho, she walked up to the small plinth where the Vice Chief Tiga stood and bowed her head in respect.

His eyes were saddened as he looked down at her.

"Sheena Fujibayashi, you stand before the people of this village having not only failed in your mission to kill Sylvarant's Chosen, but also committed an act of betrayal by aiding her and quite obviously leading her onto our world. I sincerely wonder just what could cause you to do such a thing, especially to the people who took you in as one of our own, who trusted you... Well?"

Sheena lifted her head, before turning her back on him to speak to the assembled villagers as a whole.

"Sheena Fujibayashi is the name you gave me by the traditions of this village, a name you gave to a foundling human brought to this place out of charity... but it is not my real name." More angry murmurs rose from the crowd, was she betraying them again? Trying her best not to let herself falter, she continued. "My real name is Alysii Targathyr, the daughter of Rennan and Vayla Targathyr... and I am not human... I am alurannai..." The entire crowd gasped as one in shock, as she extended both sarren and wings, a whistle bringing a white and yellow Aeros down out of the sky to land beside her. Turning back to the startled man on the plinth, she regarded him solemnly. "As one of the Alurannai I am bound to do what is best for _both_ worlds... Sylvarant is close to death, without mana it will never survive to see the birth of another Chosen of Regeneration... And if Sylvarant dies, Tethe'alla will die as well, as the two are bound to one another. Fate took a hand it would seem, for the alurannai woman acting as Collette's escort was none other than my mother. Finding her restored my lost memories to me, though even if we had not crossed paths that day my transition to adolescence a few months later would have restored them to me regardless. But still, I have yet more to tell you.

"Cruxis are lying to the people of the two worlds, manipulating them for the sole purpose of one man's desire to resurrect his sister... Martel. The Church are just being used as a tool, and the supposedly 'sealed away' Desians are actually in Sylvarant, and are shunted back and forth by their masters each time the Ritual on one of the worlds succeeds. Their masters are Cruxis, the very organisation that are supposedly their enemies. What little more I can say of this can be said to the Vice Chief only, but I wanted you all to hear as much as I am allowed to tell you so that you could at least decide whether you think I betrayed you or not while knowing the reasons why I did what I did."

She stood there, waiting through the sudden silence as Mezo preened her hair a little trying to reassure her. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Tiga spoke.

"All people have heard of the Alurannai, the once Guardians of the Giant Tree. Long have they been thought to be extinct, and yet now we know that even now they still watch over the lands, doing what they must to keep the worlds alive... You did what you had to do, Sheena, for the good of all, and for that we cannot in conscience condemn you. Now I believe you have things that can only be said to me, then let us go to the Chief's house and discuss them in private." He looked up at the assembled villagers, all of them subdued after what they'd just learned. "All of you return to your tasks. There is much we must all think on."

The people dispersed as Sheena watched them go, a sigh of relief leaving her lips. So far so good...

--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--

**Alaia Skyhawk: I know there's been very little mention of Presea, but I assure you that she'll get a chapter like this once she's been cured. Right now I'm just getting Zelos all nice and settled before I start tossing things up around their ears again XD**

**Oh and for those who don't remember what 'nanu' means, it means 'brother'.**


	56. Scholar's City

**Alaia Skyhawk: Sorry for the wait but I got hooked on finishing Winds of a New Beginning, and then spent the last week playing Grandia 1. A friend recommended it and I have to say it is AWESOME! Expect a Grandia fic from me to begin in the near future XD**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

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Chapter 56: Scholar's City

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The once Town of Bells, of Scholars, Sybak remained a place of study, but the bells in their towers that had once dominated the skyline were now long gone. Of those who were present in the group though, only Noishe and Dalli had seen the city in those days and they chose not to comment on it before going off to wait outside the town as they had done at Meltokio; the group had other things on their minds.

Lloyd looked around at the street from where they stood just inside the city gates.

"Sanaro said an inn called Scholar's Rest is the best of the cheap places to stay. Shall we head there and go to the Academy tomorrow?"

He turned to face the group, glancing at Raine for her opinion even though strictly speaking he was now the group leader.

She looked up at the sun to check the time.

"Hmm, it's only midmorning and we've only walked for two hours today. Do you think it will take you long to solve the problem with Collette?"

The alurannai boy thought it over.

"Not really... I already have the crest for her, it's just a case of using the Academy equipment to break apart the enchantments on her Cruxis Crystal. From the instructions my ata gave me it shouldn't take too long."

The half-elven woman nodded.

"Well in that case why not head there now? The Academy should have an eating hall of some sort so we can get food at midday. We can head to the inn later once Collette is cured... Truth be told I'd rather not leave her like this for another night..."

Everyone bar the subdued Presea looked at the blond haired Chosen, who thankfully this time didn't seem to perceive her surroundings as a threat unlike in Meltokio. Taking the initiative, Zelos set off.

"Follow me then, the Imperial Research Academy is this way."

The group followed him, Presea murmuring unheard as she trailed along behind.

"I hate... this city..."

The group too preoccupied to notice the comment, they proceeded through streets crowded with students in the various uniforms of the different universities in the city; only a small percentage of which were wearing the tan trimmed, dark blue velvet of the prestigious Imperial Research Academy. The rather luxurious uniform was reflected in the academy itself; fine stone buildings set amid gardens inside a walled private campus within the city.

Taking them into one of the buildings through a set of wide double doors, Zelos headed straight over to a desk set on one side.

"Yo! There should be word from Meltokio."

The woman at the desk began to fluster in surprise, ringing a bell which called an escort from a bench in one corner of the room.

"Ah, Chosen One! We've been waiting for you. Please, the escort will show you to the lab that has been prepared." She glanced at the young man who had come from the bench. "Take them to Lab fifteen C."

She continued to look flustered as the group was led off out of the building and to another much deeper within the campus, the escort leaving them inside the white halled laboratory building outside of a door marked with the name of their destination. Again Zelos led them inside, and again he spoke to the person sat at a desk within.

"Hey! We're here to use the lab? Did you gather the Cruxis Crystal info I asked for?"

The blond haired man at the desk leapt to his feet, straightening his spectacles before bustling to a device set on a nearby work bench. He pressed a switch, revealing the device to be a projector screened computer much like those that some of the group had used at the Asgard Ranch.

"Upon receiving the report of Colette's symptoms, we found our attention on research data regarding the Chosen's Cruxis Crystal. All of it has been loaded into this computer for you to use. If you need any help..."

Zelos cut him off.

"I know how to use a computer. Now I'm sure you've studies of your own to tend to, so why not leave us to use the lab and go do that instead. Worst comes to worst we call you back here if we get stuck." A little put out the researcher left the room, Zelos glancing at Lloyd as soon as the man was gone. "That's just a basic terminal, so they won't be able to tell if you actually read anything from it or not. As long as we don't leave here too quickly no one will ever know you came here just for the equipment."

Genis, who had been silent up until now, frowned suspiciously.

"And how do you know we just needed the equipment and not the research info? That's supposed to be secret."

Lloyd, who had moved away from the door and was searching the equipment drawers and cupboards for what he needed, answered in a somewhat annoyed tone.

"Because he's under the same geas that you are... I told him about what I am when we were back at Meltokio. Vayla trusts him as well in case you're wondering, as does Dalli who did the geas."

Both Genis and his sister stared in shock, the latter managing to sputter.

"You told him so quickly after the way he acted back there? Are you insane?!"

Zelos sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. As if being raised by a secretly alurannai nanny up until I was six didn't teach me to defend myself in unusual ways." He began to examine his black and pink gloves. "Lloyd's great-grandmother, Hiria, told me before she died to expect your group to come to Meltokio. She told me to help you, and I am..."

Raine fell silent in shock while her brother blurted out.

"She did? But you're such a..."

"Jerk? Philanderer? Narcissist?" Zelos sighed. "Don't judge a book by its cover, Kid... Some hide behind false ones to stop the true book within from being found and burned..."

Genis flinched, the look Zelos gave him and Raine telling them both that he knew what they were even though they'd resumed posing as 'elves' at Vayla's instruction upon coming to Tethe'alla.

"Oh..."

Silence resumed, the occasional rattle from Lloyd in his search being the only sounds until the alurannai youth set one last item on one of the workbenches before looking at his emotionless friend where she stood near the door.

He walked up to her and then carefully led her over to the work area, which was surrounded by spelled glass walls. Once inside he closed the door behind him, his voice now muffled but still audible.

"This is where the tricky part starts... I just have to hope she doesn't see me fiddling around near her Cruxis Crystal as being a threat." As she stood there he tentatively picked up the first of the tools, reaching for the base of her neck and using it to lift the upper surface of the golden mount away along with that of the golden band encircling her throat, revealing both to be hollow. Beneath inside the remaining halves was an indescribable array of tiny runes made of everything from wires formed of various metals to precisely cut stones. Lloyd hesitated for a moment before starting to examine them. "Man... Ata wasn't kidding when he said there was a lot of spells on this thing. This might take a bit longer than I thought it would."

Zelos settled himself on a random chair, slouching a little into it to get comfortable.

"Well, like I said, we've got to kill a certain amount of time anyway so there's no huge rush."

As the rest of the group also found chairs to sit in, Lloyd sighed and began to pick his way through the spells. Over the course of the next few hours he switched tools countless dozens of times, the removal of each wire or stone seeming to require the use of a minimum of five instruments, and some of them releasing bursts of power as they were undone which rattled the glass walls and made it obvious why a lab was needed. Outside of the protections of such a facility there was no telling what the side effects on the surroundings might have been.

Noon came and went, Zelos leaving and coming back with a tray loaded with sandwiches. Soon evening began to darken the one small window in the room, the lights of the city coming to life one by one as twilight descended. It was then that Lloyd replaced the outer half of the gold band and took an entirely new upper half taken from his ver and putting onto Collette's Crystal mount, placing it over the last remaining essential runes inside.

He took a step back before heading to open the door into the work area, his expression strained from the hours of concentration.

"Done... Ata said it might take a few minutes for the new runes to kick in and suppress her Crystal. So we'll have to wait to find out if it's worked."

He sat down beside Genis, anxiously glancing at the clock on the wall as it ticked torturously through the following minutes. Those minutes became ten, then twenty, and then an hour. It was when night had fully fallen that the eldest in the group got to their feet.

Raine regarded the blond girl with concern, before turning to face Lloyd.

"It looks like it hasn't worked; there must be more spells on there than Kratos noticed."

Lloyd bit his lip.

"Then I'm going to have to make a trip to Nae Shiu with her... I can't call any of my people here, it would draw too much attention, so there's no choice but for me to take her to Rennan. He's a specialist in this sort of thing, much more than my atasi who has just generalised knowledge of it."

The red headed Chosen got to his feet as well.

"So where is this 'Nae Shiu' place?"

The young Nartu grimaced.

"Sylvarant... I'll have to take her on the Red Hawk to the Otherworldly Gate, since I've been expressly forbidden from using the Sentinels to transfer between worlds and using the portal area above Yuan's place is something else I'm not allowed to do for now."

Zelos started to look concerned.

"Hey, hey, hey! Wait just a moment! Aren't you forgetting something? I'm supposed to keep tabs on you! I can't let you go back to Sylvarant!"

Lloyd regarded him blandly.

"Well then, oh compassionate Chosen One, what do you suggest we do?"

Zelos groaned.

"Man, I just know I'm going to regret this... Fine, you take Collette to Sylvarant and I'll make up a story over here to cover for you."

It was then that the door of the lab slammed open, several Papal Knights storming in to surround the group, the disapproving expression of a researcher holding a tray of food outside the door explaining what had just happened. She'd come to bring them a meal and had overheard the mention of returning to Sylvarant, alerting some suspiciously convenient Papal Knights to their Chosen's treachery... It was obviously a set up.

"Chosen, we heard what you said just now and it confirms the words of our informant. We hereby declare you and your companions to be traitors attempting to destroy Tethe'alla."

The fact of the situation wasn't lost on Zelos.

"…Humph. Well that was perfect timing, Mr. Papal Knight."

One of the other knights spoke.

"By the Pope's orders, we were told to watch you for suspicions of plotting against the throne."

Zelos actually laughed a little.

"…Heh. Now that's amusing. _I'm _the one who's plotting against the throne?"

He was man handled towards the door, the rest of the group being grabbed also while two other knights cautiously managed to get Collette to follow her companions. As this was done the first knight spoke again.

"Restrain them and take a sample. Don't touch the angel; if you approach her carelessly, she'll kill you."

One of the knights pulled Lloyd's glove off, jabbing his hand with a device that left a small puncture in the skin. He pulled his hand away in surprise before being wrestled into shackles.

"Ow! What are you doing?!"

Zelos called out from near the door as Genis, Raine, and Presea were all jabbed as well.

"Criminals undergo biological tests before they are arrested. It's because of the caste system here. Some half-elves don't look any different from humans so the test is done to detect them."

Lloyd blanched white like his two silver haired friends, as the knight who had tested them called out.

"…S…sir! We found a match!"

The leader of the squad sneered at them.

"These pathetic half-elves have engaged in shameless caste deception. Half-elves guilty of crimes are all executed without exception. Take them away!"

Lloyd began to struggle, inwardly cursing that the need to protect the secrecy of the Plan meant he couldn't use his full strength.

"That's insane! Professor! Genis!"

The siblings were led out with panic in their eyes, the squad leader turning to the remainder of his men present.

"Change in plans. Half-elves can use magic, so we must keep them under heavy guard… We'll have return to the bridge and call for reinforcements to escort them to Meltokio. As for the Chosen and the others… Just lock them in the basement or something." He noticed the puzzled expression beneath the open visor of the knight who had tested Lloyd, a knight who was now peering uncertainly at a small display set into the side of the object he held. "What's the matter? Is he a half-elf as well?"

The knight looked baffled, shaking his head.

"He doesn't match anything sir. The testing device reads 'unknown species'."

Lloyd went very still, praying he wasn't about to be forced to do something cover blowing. Luck turned out to be on his side.

The leader hesitated before barking out.

"Take them all to the lower labs. Maybe one of them down there can tell us what he is."

A wave of his hand to give the order was the only warning, and it wasn't enough for Lloyd to realise there was someone behind him before he was jabbed in the arm and fell into darkness.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

A faint groan drifted up into the air of the dark room, lights from computers and other research equipment reaching his eyes as he cracked them open blearily. His body quickly dealing with the sedative that had knocked him out, Lloyd shifted a little to find himself strapped down on a medical table. A cautious turn of his head located Zelos and Presea tied to chairs nearby with bags over their heads, with Collette standing near them. Presea was sitting straight and seemed not to have been sedated, thought the groggy sounds coming from Zelos indicated that he'd been given at least a mild dose of the stuff to keep him quiet.

It was then that a half-elven woman with deep green hair walked over to the chairs, her face showing no pity for the prisoners' situation.

"Criminals…If you're had the good fortune of being born human, don't throw it away like that."

Lloyd spoke in quiet voice.

"We haven't done anything except try to help save a friend. If that's a crime then it's one I'm glad to be guilty of."

She jumped in surprise, turning to face him in shock.

"You've only been unconscious for a day... I can understand that man waking up now, but they said they gave _you_ enough to keep you under for a _week!_"

Lloyd's eyes flew wide open, adrenaline flushing the last of the drowsiness from his mind.

"A _day!!_" He looked down at where metal straps held his hands down, curling his fingers to touch their edges before muttering a spell, the anti-mana gathering barriers over him having no effect since he was generating the mana himself. "_Maha, lyre miu bi fielu!_"

Fire scorched across the width of the bands, severing them and releasing his hands even through it had meant him burning himself a little. He did the same with the bands at his neck and chest, and also his ankles while the shocked researcher watched in horror.

She darted towards a button near the door, probably an alarm, but was stopped when Lloyd light jumped to appear between it and her. He cast a healing spell in Zelos' direction, waking the red head up even as the ropes holding him and Presea in place were cut by blades of wind. Behind her the two other half-elves in the room froze in shock.

She backed away, fearful.

"What in the name of Martel are you? To cast magic even beneath mana blocking spells..." The pair on the chairs were up, pulling the bags of their heads as they did so. The sight of the pink haired girl's face drew a gasp from the researcher. "Presea! Why are you here?!"

Lloyd blinked.

"You know Presea?"

The woman hesitated.

"Ah…I…she's…"

Zelos walked over, folding his arms as he stopped.

"A half-elf in the Imperial Research Academy is acquainted with a human child? That's strange."

Lloyd regarded her steadily.

"Tell us your name, and how a half-elf that can never leave here could know Presea."

She backed up, the girl in question reacting to her presence by retreating behind Collette. Something was clearly up. After a moment she answered.

"My... my name is Kate… And this child is my team's research sample..."

Lloyd tensed.

"...What kind of research?"

She hesitated again, but the sight of him calling a pair of swords from thin air, though in truth they'd come via a quick access of his ver where the group's weapons had been stored before entering the city, convinced her it was better to talk.

"Research to manufacture Cruxis Crystals inside the human body..."

"Wh…what?! The Angelus Project?! How could you treat her that way?! You're _killing_ her!"

Kate gasped.

"How... How do you know about..." She recovered, glaring at him. "…I could ask you the exact same thing. How can you humans treat half-elves the way you do?!"

Lloyd lowered his swords.

"I treat them the same as everyone else. There's no difference between the lives of humans and half-elves, or any other race in this world!"

A voice came from the air, making them all look around in search of the source.

"…He isn't from Tethe'alla." And ebon haired girl appeared in a puff of smoke, a small fox-like creature beside her. Sheena fixed her eyes on Kate. "He's a strange one who was raised in Sylvarant with half-elves and a dwarf. In Sylvarant the half-elves are becoming accepted, and even respected by the people as equals."

Lloyd broke into a grin.

"Sheena! How did you know we…"

She stopped him, grinning back.

"Are you forgetting that you and I can pick up on each other's emotions sometimes? I sensed your distress, and since I knew you would be in Sybak by now I came straight here. Corrine located you after that." She looked around. "Where's Genis and Raine?"

Lloyd tossed Zelos and Presea their weapons as he replied.

"Genis and Raine are being taken to Meltokio for execution. If we go after them now, we should be able to catch up."

Kate took a step towards him.

"Are you planning on running away?"

Sheena looked at her.

"Are you going to try to stop us?"

Zelos looked at her as well.

"He's going to save his half-elf best friend. What are you going to do, Miss Half-elf?"

Kate backed up a few steps.

"I…I won't let you trick me. There's no way a human would save a half-elf."

One of the other researchers crept forward.

"…But Kate. I did hear they arrested two half-elves up above."

As Kate remained silent, Lloyd shook his head in exasperation.

"There's no time. If you're going to get in our way, we'll just have to fight you!"

She held up a hand, stopping him. Her expression was resigned.

"…Fine. I'll let you go if you promise that once you've saved your half-elf friends, you will come back here. If what you've said is true…I'll tell you what you need to release Presea from her experiment."

He regarded her warily.

"You promise?"

She placed her hand over her heart.

"I swear upon the name of the Goddess Martel."

He thought it over, before slowly nodding.

"…Okay."

Kate turned and hurried to a bookshelf at the back of the room; pulling it sideways with some effort.

"Then…come over here. There's a hidden passage." As soon as it was far enough to the side she leaned against the wall that had been behind it and pushed, a faint grinding sound filling the air as part of the wall swung inwards revealing a hidden stairway. "You can escape to the surface through the door. It leads into the sewers... I warn you though, as soon as the guards come to check I'll have no choice but to say you broke free and forced me to help you. I'll be breaking the lock on the door once you're gone. The basements of the campus are all interconnected to there are plenty of ways you could have gone. That will be enough to protect me and my staff."

Lloyd placed a hand on her shoulder for a moment before heading into the stairway.

"Thanks."

Presea, Collette, Corrine, and Sheena followed him, only Zelos pausing below to regard Kate.

"Just one last question... By whose order was Presea's experiment carried out?"

She shook her head.

"I…can't say."

He sighed.

"The Pope, then. I should have figured as much."

"Zelos! Come on!"

Lloyd's voice echoed down the stairs, Zelos hurrying after him.

"I know, I know! Sheesh..."

Kate watched him go, before closing the passage behind them as she prayed she'd made the right decision.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: And there you have it. Happy reading :D**

**Note: '**_**Maha, lyre miu bi fielu!'**_** mean 'Mana, free me by flame!' Not so much a spell as a spoken concept to guide the mana to do what he wants it to.**


	57. Rescue

**Alaia Skyhawk: Tally ho! To the rescue!**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 57: Rescue

-

They raced up the stairway, damp air cool against their faces. That air quickly took on another quality as they climbed... the distinctive odour of rotting sewage. Holding noses against the stench, the group emerged from the stairway from behind an area where now rotting wooden boards had been used to patch gaps in ancient and now unused sewer pipes. The section they were in was probably a thousand years old or more, the pipes smaller than present day ones indicating that the town they'd serviced had been much smaller. Trying his best not to gag, Lloyd led them in the general direction of the city's main gate, only stopping when they ran out of pipe an hour or so later.

Lloyd climbed a ladder of hand and foot holds built into the wall of the pipe, pushing at the metal slab covering it in the hope they might be able to exit at this point. Below him Zelos looked as though he might throw up.

"Hey Lloyd, could you hurry it up a bit, I think my nose is about to _die_..."

A grating sound was his answer as a thin beam of faint light slipped in at the edge of the hatch, widening as Lloyd managed to push it up enough to get out. Standing on the ground above, he held it up steady while the rest of them climbed up. As soon as they were clear he closed it, taking a look at their surroundings to memorise where the hatch was for when they returned.

The alley they were in was extremely narrow, the end so blocked with trash that it was clear it hadn't been used in a long time... Perfect for hiding them, though not for getting out. It was late afternoon, and amid the usual evening sounds of a city was the distant discordant ringing of a bell combined with loud shouts and clanking armour. Their escape had been discovered and the Papal Knights were hunting for them.

At Lloyd's glance Sheena nodded and leapt to a small ledge where she could grip the wall to see over the trash, whispering down at the group after a moment's assessment of the street beyond.

"It's crawling with knights, and the rooftops of Sybak are _not_ ideal for escaping. Most of the roofs are steep sided, so people below would be able to see us with ease. Looks like we have no choice but to wait for dark and make a run for it."

She dropped down, Zelos frowning in concern.

"Believe me we do _not_ want to give them more time to lock down this city. I know more about how the Papal Knights operate than anyone from Mizuho could know, and I'm telling you that if we stay here they _will_ find us.

Sheena leapt up again as the others looked on, Lloyd biting back a yell when someone suddenly tapped him on the shoulder.

He spun around to be confronted by a woman with amused brown eyes, set beneath mid length white hair that from the middle of her forehead running halfway down to the back of her head was a vivid blue-green.

She tilted her head and smiled, flicking the edge of the poncho she wore out of the way so she could gesture with a shirt-sleeved arm.

"Follow me. I can't say the route smells the best, but the Knights aren't searching it yet. If you hurry, I can get you out of here to Noishe and Mezo before they do."

As Sheena dropped down again, Lloyd regarded the woman.

"You've spoken with them?"

She nodded; a note of urgency now in her voice.

"Look I'll explain later, but for now we're wasting precious time. You're lucky you came up in this alley, since there's a hatch for the new sewer system in here as well as a hatch for the old one. Come on!"

She ran to the far end, bending down and hauling on a metal ring they'd failed to notice. A metal hatch lifted, releasing the scent of much fresher sewage into the faces of the group. This time Zelos did throw up, a quick healing spell from Lloyd reducing the nausea to the point where at least he could walk without retching. The woman then climbed down, the group following her into the darkness before she half climbed the ladder again to pull the hatch back down.

Once she was on the ledge with edged the flow of filthy water flowing through the large brick-built pipe they now stood in, Sheena spoke to the woman.

"Which way now?"

The woman smiled, turning and heading to their left in the upstream direction.

"This way. All of this stuff flows to the treatment works by the sea, so heading upstream along the main pipe will take us to the city's eastern edge. It ends just inside the city walls, but getting over those shouldn't be a problem for you."

She speeded up into a run, the pace preventing any further questions from being asked. By nightfall they finally emerged, as promised, by the city wall; a convenient pile of crates enabling them to get over it in a more discrete way than flying. Once over they sprinted away from the walls, only stopping when the woman led them into dip between hills where an Arshis, an Aeros, and a Summon Spirit waited. The relief they felt to be out of the city was palpable, but so was the urgency the two alurannai youths felt to rescue their friends.

As they stopped the woman turned to leave, Lloyd putting a hand on her shoulder to stop her for a moment.

"Thank you for helping. I'm not sure we would have gotten out without a fight if not for you. Would you mind telling us who you are now?"

The woman grinned at him, before ducking out from under his hand and breaking into a run. She laughed as she glanced back.

"_Mika!_"

Then, in a single moment the air around her misted and then cleared, a blue-green marked fenrilra soaring up into the sky and flying away.

Lloyd blinked as the rest of the two legged group member.

"We were just helped... by a fully evolved Protozoan... Mika... she reached her final form?"

Noishe came over, chuckling.

**Yeah, ten years ago. I heard about it from Tsahi. Once a Protozoan reaches their final form they can switch between that and all their prior forms at will... Lucky git...** He nudged his Bonded Partner. **We'd better get going. Mika said she saw a large group of Papal Knights heading for the Grand Tethe'alla bridge yesterday, though it was only after your escape kicked up a fuss in the city that she learned Genis and Raine had been taken. They've got a day's head start on us, but if we go now we can catch up by sunrise even **_**with**_** those guys using a mana powered vehicle. Those things may be fast, but versus an Arshis they're nothing.**

Lloyd turned to the others, his voice commanding as he gave his orders.

"Zelos, you're with me, Presea, go with Sheena. Collette should fly alongside with Mezo while Noishe runs. Noishe is right, if we head off now we can catch them by sunrise."

He went to pick Zelos up, the Chosen stopping him as he spoke in confusion.

"You're gonna carry me while flying? But what about Sheena, is she going to run while giving Presea a piggyback or something?"

Sheena laughed.

"So you haven't told him yet?"

Lloyd scratched the back of his head.

"Well after he hit on Vayla when we first crossed paths with him in Meltokio it wasn't exactly tactful to mention it..."

Sheena gaped.

"He hit on my _mother?!_"

It was Zelos' turn to gape.

"WHAT? Vayla is your MOM?! So you're... aww crap... Great, just great..."

Lloyd grabbed him, spreading his wings and rising up into the air as Sheena did likewise with Presea; Collette following them as they'd hoped she would.

"Sheena is one of my crèche mates, and like me was separated from her parents during an attack by Cruxis when we were five. We crossed paths in Sylvarant, seeing Vayla again awakening her suppressed memories. She transitioned to adolescence a couple of months after that, so like me now has the full range of alurannai abilities. You can sort it out in your head later, but for now just get comfortable because for you it's going to be a long night."

The grass and bush dotted land flashed past beneath them, Noishe running so fast below that for all that he was running he touched the ground so little he might as well have been flying. Clouds overhead blocked out the stars, leaving them no reference for how long their mad dash had been going on. The only break in their silent speedy passage was when Collette spontaneously dropped out of the air and plummeted to the ground before tumbling to a stop under a bush. Lloyd landed, dropping a half-asleep Zelos unceremoniously onto the ground and racing to where Collette lay, arriving at her side just as she sat up.

Blue eyes looked up at him as with joyful realisation a grin swept across his face, Collette smiling back as she got to her feet and threw herself into his arms.

"Lloyd! Thank you! Thank you so much for saving me at the Tower!" She let go, stepping back to turn and look at a startled Zelos. "Hi, Zelos. I would have said hi before but I couldn't. I could see and hear everything; there just wasn't anything I could do at the time."

Sheena landed as well, pulling the girl into a hug as Noishe planted a Protozoan kiss on the side of Collette's face.

"Thank goodness you're back to normal." She glanced at Lloyd. "So much for Kratos' 'the runes will kick in within a few minutes'... it took over a _day!_"

Lloyd grabbed Zelos again, once again taking flight.

"Yeah and it's just bad luck that it's put us in this situation. Let's get moving again!"

Collette gasped, a beat of her pink and gold wings sending her into the sky after him.

"Genis and Professor Raine! We have to save them!"

Their race in the direction of the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge resumed, the sky to their left finally beginning to pale an hour or so later. By the time the sun had risen a short way above the horizon the group finally saw what they were seeking. A large four-wheeled vehicle bearing the Church Crest travelling along the road which in their straight line dash the group had only passed over once or twice during the night.

Lloyd swooped down low and dumped Zelos into the grass, darting towards the vehicle as behind him Sheena did the same with Presea before beginning to chant.

"Light of mana, protect the souls who stand by me! ALLIED SANCTUARY!" Silver light swept over the group members, an exclamation heard from the wagon ahead revealing that two of the occupants had also been included. As it came to a stop Sheena shouted. "Go get them, Lloyd!"

By this point Lloyd's anger at what had been done to Genis and Raine came to a boil, his gaze fixing on the mass of some fifteen fully armoured knights that spilled from the back of the vehicle. Two of them moved off to the side, holding the two captive half-elves as though to use them as shields. With Allied Sanctuary on them the act was pointless, and only served to make Lloyd pick a more powerful spell than what he'd initially intended to use on them.

He came to a hover, the knights gawking at him in shock at seeing a winged boy, and glaring at them he began his chant.

"Shards of light embrace the flame. Shatter in thy fury upon those below! SPLINTER STORM!"

Crystals cracking with lightning formed above the knights, blazing with white fury before blasting down onto their targets. Each crystal and its bolt of lightning struck the ground, the stones shattering and dissolving into yet more bolts of blazing mana that ripped through the metal clad men. Lloyd descended as the last flickers of light faded, feet coming to rest on scorched ground which was scattered with piles of smouldering and half-melted armour... The former occupants now little more than ash.

Panting from the exertion of casting such a powerful Alurannai Spell, Lloyd dropped to his knees beside his two friends and proceeded to break the shackles that bound them.

Getting to her feet once she was free, Raine then pulled her brother to his feet also.

"Well, that ended in much the way I expected... I knew it wouldn't be _too_ long before you escaped and caught up."

A joyful shout rang out, a blond girl racing towards them.

"Professor! Genis! I'm back to n..." The two half-elves and Lloyd both winced as the girl tripped on thin air and face planted into the ground. She pushed herself upright and giggled. "He he, whoops..."

Genis began to laugh.

"Now _that's_ our Collette! The new crest worked after all!"

He raced over to her, knocking her flat before Lloyd, Sheena, Noishe, and Mezo also joined the 'extended crèche group' hug pile. Noticing that one 'adoptee' was missing, Lloyd got out of the pile and tackled him, the group in the pile doing the same.

Zelos managed one exclamation before being smothered, and after a few seconds his head appeared at the pile's edge.

"What the heck was that for?"

Sheena's head came clear next, a prod bringing Lloyd to the surface as well.

"He has a point. Why crèche dive him?"

Lloyd looked anywhere but at her.

"Well uh... since my Insimyrtasi raised him when he was little, and since he's helping us now because of everything she taught him... He's kinda like a brother so I 'adopted' him.

Genis came up now.

"You 'adopted' this jerk into your crèche group?! Eww, that means he's now _my_ brother too!"

Now it was Collette's turn, and while she may not have known about 'adoption' before she lost her emotions, the subject had been up often enough since that she'd picked up on it while watching and listening. She broke out into a sunny smile as bright as the golden orb to the east.

"That's great! Now I have _three_ brothers!"

Zelos scrambled free of the pile, his expression somewhat horrified.

"W-what?! Lloyd! Since when was I a member of your bloody crèche group?!"

The Nartu looked at him sheepishly.

"Um... remember when I said 'what's a nanu for', and you asked what 'nanu' meant?"

The red headed Chosen looked at him in disbelief.

"Oh no... Don't tell me it means..."

Lloyd chuckled.

"Yeah, it means 'brother'... And if you think _this_ dive pile is bad then just wait until you meet Yrand, Tailan, and Jeraideu. When you do they'll be added to the pile along with their protozoans..."

Zelos was now on the verge of having a catatonic mental breakdown, though one plus for him was that it made Sheena feel sorry for him.

She patted Lloyd on the arm.

"Well I might have told you off before now, but I can see he's getting just what he deserves." She glanced at the Chosen. "Though if he _ever_ tries to pinch my butt or anything he's gonna think a pile of a hundred Arshis landing on him will be bliss by the time I'm done with him."

Zelos flinched, that dire warning breaking him from his stunned state.

"Believe me I have _no_ intention of doing anything like that. If I did your mother would probably skin me."

Lloyd coughed.

"Um, if you think that's the worst she'd do you're wrong..."

As Zelos fell into silence once more, Genis and Raine burst out into laughter before the group moved away from the charred vehicle and knights and began to make a slow return towards Sybak to fulfil a promise.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: lol, poor Zelos XD**


	58. Dark Forest

**Alaia Skyhawk: Well here's the next one.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 58: Dark Forest

-

Computers bleeped in the dim room, the three occupants moving about in their tasks as they had done ever since being brought to this place so long ago. Such was the fate of half-elves whose intelligence led to them being kept as researchers at this academy, never again to walk in the sunlight. One was just moving a stack of files when a series of dull thuds reached her pointed ears, a turn of her head quickly identifying where it was coming from.

She raced to the bookshelf in the corner, hauling it to the side to reveal that the section of wall behind it had been opened. Several people entered, the young man at the front making her gasp in recognition.

"…It's you!"

Lloyd nodded, indicating the two silver haired siblings that had entered behind him.

"We've saved our friends and came back with Presea just like we promised you, Kate."

The half-elven woman regarded them for a moment before nodding.

"…Yes, you're right. The strange mana produced by the fusion of elven and human blood… You really do have half-elf friends."

Raine took a step towards her.

"I've heard the story. Presea's creating a Cruxis Crystal inside her body?"

Kate looked to the side, guilt showing in her eyes.

"Yes, that's correct. We call it the Angelus Project, as your friend there seemed to know already once Cruxis Crystals came into the topic." She glanced at Presea, who had ducked behind a confused Collette. "The exsphere itself is nothing special; it just has a special Key Crest placed on it. This Key Crest delays the exsphere's parasitic process, which can take place over a few days or up to several decades. It seems this can cause Exspheres to mutate into Cruxis Crystals. I was commissioned to carry out the experiment on subjects whose mana signature was in a specific range. Initially I merely thought that the exsphere would simply strengthen the wearer during the process, but a short time after she was fitted with hers Presea became as she is now."

Raine sighed.

"So the parasitic infection of the Exsphere is the reason why Presea's emotional response is so subdued. Just like Collette."

Speaking of the blond Chosen, Colette clasped her hands, worried.

"If we leave Presea like this, what will happen to her?"

Kate seemed surprised for a moment, the girl having been like Presea the last time she saw her. After a moment to recover, she answered.

"When the parasitic process is complete…she will die."

Genis clenched his fists.

"That's horrible! Please save her! What did she ever do to you?!"

The guilt in Kate's eyes increased.

"…Nothing. She hasn't done anything; she just matched in the compatibility test." She turned away. "Now as I promised I'll tell you what you need to free her. In order to save Presea, speak to a dwarf named Altessa who lives near Ozette. He and I participated in the experiment by order of the Pope, and he can tell you what must be done to fix her Key Crest."

Zelos rolled his eyes.

"Sheesh, not that pathetic old man again."

The green haired woman glared at him.

"…Don't call him a pathetic old man!"

The red head blinked at the reprimand.

"Oh, my. That's unusual, a half-elf siding with the Pope."

Kate turned away again, muttering.

"…I'm…not siding with him. Anyway, have Altessa repair Presea's Key Crest."

She pointed towards the secret passage, clearly asking them to leave. They did so, Collette speaking up as it was closed behind them.

"Lloyd, can't you fix it?"

The Nartu glanced down and back at her as they climbed the stairs.

"To be honest I can't even tell the difference between it and a normal Key Crest. It'd probably be faster to search for that dwarf, Altessa. I've seen the crest that my myrta had on hers at Kvar's Ranch, and that one it was easy to see the difference. Presea's seems to be more advanced than that one, so I'd have no idea where to start. She seems alright for the time being, not weak in any way, so I'm not going to risk hurting her by meddling with what I know little about."

Sheena brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"Then it's settled. Shall we head for Gaoracchia Forest?"

Lloyd nodded.

"Yeah…though could there be a connection between the Pope and the Desians?"

Raine's voice rose up from the rear.

"Yes, I'm wondering about that, too."

Lloyd sighed, as reaching a wall of rotting wood he pushed a piece aside to let them exit the stairs.

"Well I guess we'll find out sooner or later."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The sun shone down faintly through the thin veil of cloud overhead, the wind blowing past the group as they travelled the ancient and once well used road through the Cliff Valley of Garai. It had taken them some two weeks to reach here, and finally the Gaorachia Forest was before them.

Genis stopped, staring at the darkened and shadowed trees with apprehension.

"Um, Lloyd... Is it really safe for us to go in there? This road is a mess, does anyone even use it anymore?"

It wasn't Lloyd who answered, but rather Zelos. He patted Genis on the shoulder.

"Only merchants who are completely sure they have nothing to hide go through there, since anyone with 'darkness' in their hearts is devoured by the trees. No one knows why, just that if those with ill intentions go in they _never_ come out."

Lloyd stopped as well, turning slightly to look back at his friend.

"It's been like this since the death of my inatasi, Khalin. He was killed by the King of Tethe'alla not long after the Kharlan War started. The Giant Tree took his death really bad, and the entire forest both here and down in Aluran became a no go zone for people, as you said, who have ill intentions towards others. This area is the worst though, and while the Alurannai don't know why, it's remained like this even _after_ the Tree died. The Alurannai have never been able to figure out the reason, all we can guess is that the trees themselves have held onto the Giant Tree's anger even after it was gone."

They'd set off again as he'd explained, finally passing beneath the first of the trees. The road they'd been on immediately became buckled by tree roots, the deep shadows making seeing their footing near impossible.

Raine came to a stop, bracing herself with her staff.

"Lloyd you can't seriously be taking us through with the road this bad. It will take months if we stumble around like this!"

The two alurannai youths at the front glanced back, the girl of the pair speaking.

"It took the Nine Companions two months to make the trip from one side to the other, but at that time Kratos and Vayla were hiding what they were from Mithos so they weren't able to do this..."

She and Lloyd each lifted and hand and placed it palm outwards towards the depths of the forest. Immediately the ground shivered, and before the group's eyes most of the roots bucking the road sank into the ground, the majority of the stone blocks settling level again. While not perfect, it was certainly no rougher now than some of the countryside they'd traversed in the past.

Lloyd tilted his head.

"Trees help trees... We just asked them to clear the way a bit. The request will be passed on by them along the length of the old road, so we should have no problems from here on out." He began walking again, continuing to explain. "The road winds about a bit from what Vayla told me, so we'll probably take three to four weeks to reach the other side."

Genis sighed, Collette gazing at him sympathetically as he spoke.

"That's a relief then. There's just something about this place that's making my skin crawl."

Noishe came up beside him, Mezo not present as he'd agreed to meet them at the far side; the forest being too dense for him to fly beneath the canopy and the canopy too thick for him to get through.

**I feel like there's something watching us, and it's not the trees. It was here back then during the war, and it's still here now. All it does is watch, but you never see it. It's like the presence of something sitting just past the corner of your eye, that hides as soon as you try to look at it. We've nothing to worry about though, whatever it is it would never attack us. It seeks those who seek to hurt others, whereas we are here because we're heading to see Altessa to help cure Presea.**

The young mage glanced again at the trees, still unnerved a little.

"It's still creepy... It makes me wonder what else might be in h... AHHHH!" He backed away from the tree he'd just been about to pass, several skeletons tangled in among its roots, and not all of the bodies were old enough to be barren of flesh. "I uh... I..."

Lloyd rushed over to the tree, a few murmured words in Sumaityr causing its roots to move about and the bodies sink from sight. He then turned again to the forest depths, once again murmuring. Once done he looked at his best friend.

"Sorry, I should have asked them to hide those when I asked them to clear the road. There won't be any at all further in, but since here we're right at the forest edge you'd get a lot of bandits racing into the trees to hide from the authorities. Once they enter the forest the trees would let them get so far and then ambush them. The next half a mile is probably riddled with countless remains from the past five thousand years. If you want I can sleep spell and then carry you until we're past the border zone."

Genis shook his head.

"Nah, it's ok. Those guys would all have deserved it anyway or the trees wouldn't have touched them. I have a question though, besides merchants would anything else be in here? I just want to know if I need to watch for monsters creeping up on us."

Sheena mulled it over for a moment.

"Well the people of Mizuho know of a few settlements that exist within this forest, though none of them are bigger than clusters of five or six houses. Most of those are on this side of the forest, and south of where we are now. It's not likely we'll meet anyone from those. As for monsters this place is a bit like the 'White Cathedral', that forest north of the Hima Mountains. Lots of plant creatures and little of anything else; they won't bother us while Lloyd and I are here... See?"

She stepped to the edge of the road, picking up what looked like a clump of moss and opening one side of it with her fingers to reveal several very sharp teeth. She put it down again, and while it shifted a little as Raine came over to take a closer look it made no move to attack her while the aluranani girl was there.

She frowned thoughtfully.

"I'm facinated by how easily you two can manipulate this area of forest. I was this close to one of those little 'mushrooms' back at the White Cathedral and it tried to bite my ankle, but this moss creature is ignoring me."

Sheena shrugged.

It's probably to do with this area still being under the influence of the Giant Tree's anger. It made the forest this way to protect the Alurannai, so this forest being so helpful to us is probably part of that." She tugged on the healer's sleeve. "Come on, let's get moving and deeper into the forest before we camp. Once we're in far enough we won't have to worry about being attacked at all, but here we're still close enough to the edge that someone might get a shot at us before the trees get them."

Nothing more was said for now, as the group walked away down the ancient road into the depths of the forest.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: As is probably obvious I'm going to skip the actual forest travel. Narrating 3-4 weeks of 'walks through really dense shadowy forest' would be really really boring both to write and to read. Anyways on to the next one! REGAL! WOO HOO!**


	59. Convict and Prisoner

**Alaia Skyhawk: Yeah I know this first bit is going to be anti-climactic but to be honest given where they are and what Lloyd can do with the trees this is the only real way I can see this happening.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 59: Convict and Prisoner

-

"Am I seeing things or is that sunlight?"

The group came to a halt, a certain red headed Chosen pointing down the ancient road beneath the dense trees. Three and a half weeks they'd spent beneath its eaves, walking in perpetual twilight which only changed when it darkened to impenetrable black when night fell. Not once in all that time had they seen the sun or the sky, and it was beginning to tell.

Lloyd looked at the distant point that Zelos was indicating, a grin lighting his face. While alurannai may not need sunlight to survive, spending so long in the shadows had left both him and Sheena looking a little pale and strained. He broke into a run.

"It is! We're there! We've reached the eastern edge of Gaorachia!"

The entire group ran after him, laughter rising as all but the subdued Presea began to smile as well. Towards the light they ran, before suddenly Lloyd skidded to a stop on the uneven paving of the road.

Sheena came to a stop right beside him, sensing then what he had sensed. She shouted out.

"Ambush!"

The group scattered to either side of the road as Lloyd and Sheena remained on it with weapons at the ready, a startled cry from Collette causing them to turn in surprise.

A man with long blue hair was running towards her, but there was something about the way he did it that didn't convince Lloyd he meant it. He reached her, but before he could grab her Presea had unhooked her axe from her back and swung it at him. In that moment, when with a gasp he looked at her, Lloyd called to the trees. Roots shot up out of the ground and grabbed the man, and with a flick they slammed him into the ground rendering him unconscious.

Lloyd walked over as the roots returned to the earth, the rest of the group gathering around the attacker as the young Nartu knelt down to get a closer look at him. He looked to be in his late thirties, his tied-back hair rather unkempt above a face which even in unconsciousness bore a solemn expression. His clothing was a plain shirt with laced up sleeves, worn over rough trousers and a pair of greaves, the lacings explained by the shackles that bound the man's hands.

Lloyd stood up straight.

"Let's take him with us... I want to know why he made such a half-hearted and yet clearly planned attack on us." He frowned. "The moment I sensed him he went still, but as soon as Collette was isolated he went for her. She was the target, and with us following the old road I think the Pope might have had him planted here to wait for us."

Raine frowned, her tone questioning.

"Lloyd, we should just leave him here. He tried to attack Collette and you want to take him with us?"

The alurannai youth nudged the man with his foot.

"He's under the eaves of Gaorachia and yet the trees have left him alone, and that means that he has no ill intentions of his own towards us. To me those shackles say 'convict', so maybe he was coerced into doing this in return for being released or something of that sort."

Raine would have argued but for Zelos pushing past her and reaching down to pick the man up.

"Look we can argue about this if you want, but can we do it out in the sunlight? I am _so_ sick of all these trees." He grabbed the man's arm and tried to drag him over his shoulder, face turning red from effort. "Man this guy is heavy! Give me a hand will ya bro."

Lloyd chuckled and made Zelos let go before then picking the man up with ease... He then casually passed him to the one he'd gone after.

"You carry him, Collette. I want to keep my swords clear just in case."

She smiled cheerfully as Zelos stared at her in stunned silence while she hefted their prisoner, who must have easily massed twice her size.

"Sure, he's not that heavy."

She began to stroll away, Lloyd going with her. Meanwhile several individuals smirked in amusement at the Tethe'allan Chosen's reaction to Collette carrying someone that big _one handed_. It only took them a few minutes to reach the edge of the forest; Lloyd leading them off the road and into a dip in the terrain nearby which would conceal them distant observers that might be lurking in the area.

He promptly brought out tent rolls and camping gear from his ver, slipping into the usual end of day routine even though it was barely midday. He then went and lay out on the grass nearby, eyes closed as he basked in sunlight for the first time since they'd entered Gaorachia. Sheena was equally unconcerned by having their unconscious ambusher laying in the camp where Collette had put him down, and joined her crèche mate as Noishe came over to act as giant pillow for the pair.

Genis frowned a little, starting the campfire with the dry wood they'd picked up during the morning.

"He saw something we didn't when that guy ambushed us, and he wants to know if he's right."

Raine settled beside him, looking far from happy.

"I don't like this. What if that man wakes up and attacks us while those two are slouching in the grass like that."

A faint snort came from Lloyd, a twitch of a finger calling a tree root up out of the ground right next to the healer.

"We're only twenty yards from the trees, and their roots extend under us here. If he tries anything he'll be tied down before he can blink."

The half-elven woman sighed, shaking her head before retreating into her tent while being watched by a small white wolf.

Dalli scratched his ear before strolling over to the blue haired man and peering into his face while speaking privately with Lloyd.

**This guy... I can sense faint ties that link him to events that others in this group have either witnessed or are connected to by proxy of someone who knows him. He hesitated in his attack, and it was one of those ties that made him do it.**

Lloyd shifted a little, removing a stone from under himself that had been digging into his back.

**It's Presea... The moment he looked at her he forgot his objective. He didn't recognise her specifically, I could tell that much, but he knows someone who looks a lot like her.**

The Spirit tilted his head.

**You might want to consider asking him about it, because he's coming around... You didn't hit him all that hard.**

Lloyd sat up.

**Yeah well I just wanted to subdue him, not kill him.**

Getting up the alurannai youth walked over, arriving at Dalli's side just as the man let out a small groan. Nearby Genis tensed, Collette watching as well, while Sheena too got up and came over.

Looking down at the man, she placed a hand on her hip while the other drew an enchanted card from the holster on her belt.

"Don't try anything stupid. We're giving you a chance to explain yourself and live, so don't waste it."

The man went still for a moment, before blue eyes opened and with a wince of pain he managed to sit up. He looked up at the pair standing over him.

"Why didn't you just kill me and be done with it? I attacked you and tried to take your friend."

Lloyd folded his arms.

"Let me guess, the Pope told you to wait here for us and to snatch Collette from us. Am I right?"

The man regarded him thoughtfully.

"It seems the Pope has underestimated you. When I was brought here three weeks ago his men told me that he'd received information that you were heading for Ozette and that the woman leading the group was no longer with you. Something along the lines of 'they're a bunch of kids, nothing to worry about'. Now I wonder if it was the woman leading or you."

Lloyd smiled a little.

"Vayla was in charge of getting us in to see the King, to get permission to use the facilities at the Imperial Research Academy, because she knew the castle and Meltokio well. As for the rest though, you're right, I'm the group leader." He raised an eyebrow. "So are you going to tell us your name, and why you were following those orders when it's clear that you're not the type to willingly partake in kidnapping?"

Stern blue eyes remained on him for a moment, before the man spoke.

"My name is Regal, and I was told to grab a blond haired girl named Collette from your group. I did it because I was promised retribution against a certain someone."

Lloyd nodded.

"Fine... I won't ask why it is you want revenge, Regal, because for a man who can walk Gaorachia untouched by the trees the reason must be a just one. That forest does not suffer malice to exist within its embrace." He smiled again. "If I were to offer to help you get your revenge, so long as the reason _is_ a just one, would you instead lend our group your strength? You may wait to tell us of the reason you seek retribution until you feel ready to."

Raine, who had come out of her tent when she heard the man first speak, charged over.

"Lloyd! You can't be serious!"

Lloyd silenced her.

"That's enough! I've made the decision and it's final!"

Raine flinched, as for the first time in her experience Lloyd used a tone of voice which made it clear that it was the 'prince' who was making the call, not the 'young man' who had been her student.

As she backed up a few steps, Collette came over and put a hand on her arm.

"Lloyd knows what he's doing. Besides, if he was wrong then Dallinius would correct him. He hasn't, so Lloyd's right to do this."

As Regal looked on in confusion, the two women glanced at the small wolf that was sat beside him. He then flinched in surprise as said wolf spoke.

"Correct on both counts. I happen to agree with Lloyd on this, and right now having an extra fighter in the group wouldn't hurt. We'll see how he pans out over time, same as when Vayla and Kratos were watching to see how you and Genis would turn out."

Regal stared at the wolf.

"A talking animal? What magic is this?"

Dalli glanced at him sidelong.

"I'm a Summon Spirit, and Lloyd there is one of my pact holders. We've another Spirit in our group as well, who is pact bonded to Sheena there." Sheena raised her hand in acknowledgement while the wolf continued. "His name is Corrine, and he's not here right now. We also have two half-elves, they're Genis and Raine; there's Collette, who you know already, Tethe'alla's now declared renegade Chosen, Zelos, Presea who is from Ozette, and lastly there's Noishe over there who is an Arshis form Protozoan. We also have an Aeros form Protozoan in the group, called Mezo, but again like Corrine he's not here right now. Those two will probably show up in a few hours."

Dalli had indicated each individual with a point of his nose, and after recovering from his initial surprise Regal spoke.

"Yours is truly an unusual group it seems." He got up, turning to look at Lloyd. "I promise you, by these shackles I wear, that I will not betray you. Whatever may happen, I swear that I will protect you with my life."

Lloyd reached out and took hold of Regal's hands, shaking them both since shaking only one was currently impossible.

"Then I gladly welcome you to our group, Regal. Now if you give me a few moments I'll set up a tent for you. I have a couple of spares in my ver."

And thus the group of twelve now numbered thirteen, be it unlucky or not only time would tell.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Brown eyes flicked from tent to tent in the darkness, their owner slipping out of his own as soon as his ears had confirmed that all but their night watch, Sheena, were asleep. A glance from him telling her without words what he was up to, she nodded once before resuming looking at the stars overhead.

With nothing and no one to interrupt or overhear the coming conversation who he didn't want doing so, Lloyd opened the door of the tent he'd given their new group member and nudged the man's feet with one of his own. Just as he'd expected, the man was immediately awake and alert, like one who was used to watching his back.

Regal sat up, something about Lloyd making him speak barely above a whisper.

"What is it, Lloyd?"

The alurannai youth sat down on the ground just outside the tent and regarded the convict as he murmured back.

"I saw you hesitate when you saw Presea, and I know that it's highly likely that Presea isn't the only person being used for a certain research project, and that a relative of hers would also likely fall in the required mana signature range... You know of a person she looks like, don't you, a person lost to that experiment? The Angelus Project."

Regal's eyes darkened for a moment, a hint of grief showing before being hidden again.

"I won't deny it, but at this time I'd rather not talk about it. I apologise for my not speaking of it."

Lloyd shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. That you've confirmed as much as you have reassures me that I've made the right choice by offering to help you, because even before we met I was going to find the culprits and deal with them. I may not know much about her, but I do know that Presea must have suffered a great deal from what has been done to her. I'm determined to help her and to cure her, and, if she wants it, to help her get retribution as well."

Regal sighed, his expression both relieved and full of gratitude.

"I thank you, as I too would like to see her saved from the curse of that exsphere she wears. Maybe together, we can prevent this from happening to anyone else."

Lloyd nodded, getting to his feet.

"And I will welcome your help Regal, for the sake of past victims, and to prevent future ones. This system of sacrifice _will_ end!"

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: I'll just comment that at this point Regal has no idea what Lloyd's last sentence really means. He'll just think it's the Angelus Project for now. Happy reading :D**


	60. Village of the Forest's Eaves

**Alaia Skyhawk: And so to Ozette. I've cut out Rodyle again (like back in Meltokio) because for him to show himself to the group doesn't make sense when he's supposed to be planning to snatch Collette.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 60: Village of the Forest's Eaves

-

"So Regal, have you ever been to this area before?"

The group were walking along a wide valley, its northern edge marked by the fjord whose narrow point they'd crossed via a bridge a week prior, and its southern edge marked by a forest of mighty trees that towered above the plain below. That forest was where they were heading, as they followed the well tended road into the area which would lead them to the village they sought.

Regal glanced at blond girl beside him, a girl who barely four weeks ago he'd attempted to kidnap.

"No, this is my first time here. I've been to many places in Tethe'alla over the years, but I've never had reason to come to this region."

Zelos snorted from nearby.

"That's because this area is the back of nowhere. With the Gaorachia Forest restricting the only land route to this region, and there being only one area east of here that ships can dock where there's no cliffs by the sea, not many people come here." He frowned. "There's also the fact that the whole of the plains along the southern shore of this continent are off limits, being the Holy Ground of Kharlan. Pilgrims might have visited, but the rumours of what the Angels do to trespassers on those lands means no one will risk going near its border. There's also the rumours of the huge forest south-east of the Ozette Grovelands, and north of the Holy Ground of Kharlan, being cursed."

Lloyd glanced over.

"That forest isn't cursed, though given what happened in it not long after the start of the Kharlan War I'm not surprised the people of Tethe'alla think it is. The King of Tethe'alla back then lost several thousand soldiers when the forest attacked them at the Giant Tree's command."

The convict looked both surprised and curious.

"The forest attacked Tethe'allan troops there? But how do you know that? The records from the later part of the war are sparse but those of its beginning are non-existent."

Lloyd winced, Raine shaking her head.

"Lloyd... You should really think before speaking. You keep talking as you were before we reached Meltokio, and while Zelos is in a position of trust neither Presea nor Regal have earned such. You're being careless."

The red headed Chosen stepped in to defend the young leader of their group.

"Take it easy, it's not like it's the end of the world that he's said what he has. Pops there has probably already figured out that Lloyd isn't exactly your average person, so telling that much won't hurt." He looked at Lloyd. "Do you want to tell him why you can call tree roots out of the ground or shall I?"

Lloyd chuckled.

"You have a point, and it will certainly simplify things a little if I ever need to call one of the jiisumura." His gaze moved to Regal as the group continued to walk. "I'll be blunt; I'm not human, I'm alurannai, which is why I can ask the trees around here for help. All of them in this region are attuned to the old echo of the Giant Tree, and its command to defend this area from invasion. Any alurannai near them can call on them and they'll respond. As for the forest south of here, between here and the Holy Ground of Kharlan... that forest is Aluran, the homeland of the Alurannai and the place where the Giant Kharlan Tree once stood."

Genis, like his sister and Collette, gasped in surprise.

"We're _that_ close to Aluran? And you never said?"

Sheena nudged his shoulder, getting his attention.

"You never asked, and it's not like we need to go there right now. We might pass through it later, but for now it would just be a needless diversion from the path we should be following." She looked over at the blue haired man. "For the record, I'm also alurannai; Lloyd and I are from the same crèche group so we're sort of like brother and sister. We were first aiming to cure Collette from the condition she was in, but just after that we learnt of what was wrong with Presea, so now we're travelling to help her as we did Collette. As for this area, I spent a huge chunk of my childhood with amnesia and living in Mizuho. I know this area well, and I know where the dwarf we're looking for is. He lives west of the village, where the forest is broken by a series of cave-pocked cliffs. We shouldn't have too much trouble finding him."

Regal shook his head in wonderment.

"Two of the once believed extinct Alurannai... The Pope has no idea what he's dealing with. Would I be correct in assuming that the woman who was with you in Meltokio was alurannai as well?"

Sheena nodded.

"Yeah, that was my myrta, mother that is. Her name is Vayla, and right now she's with the rest of our people doing some work that only she can do. This trek to help Presea isn't all that dangerous so she left us to do it on our own even though we're still very young."

The convict's expression was thoughtful.

"Very young? But both of you look to be adult, not children."

Sheena glanced at Lloyd, who shrugged.

"We're only twenty... We won't be adults until we're about five hundred years old; by that standard we _are_ very young."

Again Regal looked thoughtful.

"So much about your people has been forgotten, so much lost. It makes me wonder what else has faded from the recollections of humans since the end of the war."

Raine, who had relaxed a little around Regal these past weeks, spoke.

"I wouldn't worry too much over it, Regal. I myself know a fair bit, but in some ways it's more of a headache than enlightening. That knowledge can destroy your perspective of the world; I know it near sent me into despair at first. A time may come when you earn the trust to be told all that I have, but be wary asking to learn it if you do not want everything you know of the world to change."

Zelos snorted.

"To put it in layman's terms, Pops, what she's saying is that besides you and Presea not a single person in this group is a believer in the Scriptures of Martel."

"ZELOS!"

"AHK, NOT THE FACE!"

As Zelos ducked the staff that had been swung at his head by the angry healer, Regal stared in shock.

"But you are Tethe'alla's Chosen, and Collette is Sylvarant's... and yet neither of you believe the teachings of the Church, of which you both are a key part?"

As Zelos nursed a bruised head and Raine continued to reprimand him for his loose tongue, Collette sighed.

"Let's just say that the Regeneration Ritual as the Church knows it has a lot of things missed out... Dark things." She looked over at Lloyd. "Can I tell him? Not _that_, just what the Ritual really is and does?"

Lloyd remained silent for a moment, before turning his attention to the convict.

"Only if Regal, and Presea, are alright with it."

The former of the two nodded solemnly, the latter murmuring in her usual flat tone a moment later.

"...I do not mind..."

Clasping her hands, Collette averted her eyes before continuing.

"The Scriptures say that when the Ritual succeeds the Desians are sealed away, but they're really just transported from the once declining world to the other which has just begun to. They also say that when the Chosen reaches the tower they ascend to the heavens to watch over the regenerated world... What really happens is that the Chosen's soul is locked away inside of them and they become a puppet, one to be used as a new body for Martel who Cruxis are trying to resurrect. Martel isn't a goddess, just a woman who loved the world so much that to many she was like one. The Regeneration System has nothing to do with saving the world, it's just a way to oppress the people and keep them in line while Cruxis and the Desians try to bring Martel back to life. Nothing else matters to them, just her, and if they ever succeed then both Tethe'alla and Sylvarant will be doomed to die. That's only part of what we know, but even just that makes you look at things a lot differently. The Church doesn't know any of this; we all learned it from Vayla, and from Lloyd's father, Kratos."

Presea didn't react to the revelation, not being able to, but Regal was so shocked that he actually stumbled.

"What? But that's monstrous! How could they do such a thing?"

Lloyd's voice was bland.

"Quite easily when you consider that the man leading Cruxis and the Desians is completely insane. Let's just leave this conversation at this for now. Right now neither you nor Presea have earned the trust to be told more. Let's just get to Ozette and cure Presea, after that we'll decide where to go and what to do next."

They were close to the trees now, and no sooner than a long sloping path made of a huge tree root came into view that Presea suddenly broke into a run and dashed into the village. As she vanished from sight, Genis started to run after her.

"Lloyd! We have to follow her!"

The group raced up the path, stopping as they reached an earthen plateau where several more such roots converged. All around, through the trees, they could see buildings anchored to tree trunks or resting on the rocky ridges which were the formed from the fringe of the nearby cliffs. Birdsong echoed around them, along with the mutterings of several people nearby.

"They were following Presea."

"What are they doing here with that monster?"

Lloyd and Sheena's sharp hearing picked up the mutters, the latter glaring at the source.

"Who are you calling a 'monster'? She's just a child!"

The onlookers began to back away, fearful.

"You could hear that? What creatures could hear whispers from that distance?"

One of them stooped down and grabbed a stone.

"Get out of our village! We don't want cursed things like you bringing misfortune here."

As he threw the stone, several more following it. Sheena called up a golden barrier, the stones bouncing harmlessly off it as she began to walk through the village taking the song shield with her. As the group followed along inside it, she muttered.

"I forgot how suspicious the people here are. Genis, Raine, keep posing as elves for now. If they find out you two are half-elves we'll find a mob with flaming torches chasing us rather than a couple of people standing and throwing rocks. We need to find Presea and get her out of here; her being emotionless is clearly making them fear her. If she stays they might hurt her."

The search of the village was like running a gauntlet of suspicion and fear, no one willing to say where Presea lived, with most ducking into houses and slamming the doors shut. The only clue they got in the end was several abandoned houses close to a root path leading down into a clearing in the forest. All of them were empty and showing signs of starting to rot, and yet the cottage in the clearing below was well kept with a faint plume of smoke just beginning to rise from its chimney.

The group descended the path, cautiously entering the building when they arrived at the open door. Inside Presea was bustling about, a pot on a newly lit stove a sign that the vegetables she was carrying were about to be cooked. Once the group got a little further in, away from the clean air coming through the door, they all grimaced as a stench reached them.

Lloyd covered his nose.

"That smell…"

Presea at that moment headed through a door on the left, her flat voice audible as she spoke to someone.

"I'm making your favourite soup, Daddy. I'll make sure extra special now that I've just got home." There was a pause, as if she were waiting for a response. "Ok, Daddy, I'll make it that way."

She came out of the room, returning to the table where she'd left the vegetables. While she began to chop them Raine headed for the side room. Once inside she quickly spotted the mound in the double bed at the far end, and after heading towards it she suddenly stopped and exclaimed in horror.

"…Oh my…how horrible."

Zelos rushed over, stopping just as suddenly.

"What the…this is _not _cool."

Everyone else who could crowded into the room, Sheena turning and looking back out the door at the rose haired girl in the main room.

"How could this happen?"

Raine made them all back out of the room, then stopping to gaze at the girl by the stove.

"Most likely the effect of Exspheres' parasitism. Presea has no idea... what's become of the person in that bed..."

Genis managed to choke out.

"How could that… All because of that exsphere she can't tell that her father is..."

He couldn't say anymore, just stood there with fists clenched in anger at what had been done to her. Meanwhile Regal had approached her.

"Presea, are you not coming with us? We need to go see Altessa to fix your Key Crest."

She stopped in her chopping, blank eyes turning to him for a moment.

"I must look after Daddy..."

Raine walked over to and took Regal by the arm, leading him and gesturing to the rest of the group to go outside.

"Let's leave Presea here for now. If we try to move her she will fight back to stay. Let's just go see Altessa by ourselves and ask him about curing her."

Reluctantly Lloyd nodded, a glance at his crèche mate asking her to lead the way to the dwarf's home. Sheena chose not to lead them back through the village, instead taking them out of the clearing and through the trees down a game trail. The walk wasn't a long one, and in less than an hour the trees became sparse as the increasing amount of rock in the area restricted their numbers. Here amid a series of natural terraces they quickly found a rough path, which in turn led them to neatly cleared area at the foot of one of the walls of rock. Into that wall was cut a number of windows, along with doorway.

Sheena stopped and turned to Lloyd.

"You know dwarves best."

Her crèche mate approached the door, not knocking on the door itself but rather picking up a strangely rounded stone beside it and striking the rock framing the door, as was the Dwarven custom. Each strike let out a dull crack of stone on stone, the door opening a few seconds later. The figure that peered out was not the dwarf they were expecting, but rather a young woman with pale green hair.

She regarded them with empty green eyes above an emotionless face, her voice a monotone.

"...Who is it?"

Lloyd set down the rock, speaking politely.

"We've heard that there is a dwarf living here and have come seeking his help in fixing something. Is there any chance we could see him?"

The woman inclined her head, still speaking without emotion.

"...You desire a meeting with Master Altessa. Please come inside."

Lloyd glanced at the rest of the group.

"It won't be very big in there, and we don't want to intimidate him... Raine, as the group's healer could you come in with me? Everyone else should stay outside."

Raine nodded, walking over and entering the cliff home with the green haired woman closing the door behind them. The woman then took them left out of the home's main room, which held a large table and a few chairs, leading them down a ramp into a small workshop. There waited a dwarf of elder years, his long neat beard steel grey.

Turning to them, he spoke with suspicion.

"Who are you people?"

Lloyd frowned a little, Altessa's unfriendly tone not matching the norm for the Dwarves.

"My name is Lloyd, and I've come with my friends in regards to helping a girl called Presea. We heard about you from Kate in Sybak."

Immediately Altessa stiffened; a hint of fear in his eyes as he shouted.

"Leave!"

The young Nartu took a step back, surprised.

"What?"

The dwarf's expression hardened.

"I don't want anything more to do with that girl! Get out of here!"

It was at that moment that Raine, who had fallen silent upon seeing him, spoke.

"I know you... You passed through Heimdall when I lived there as a child..." She seemed confused. "You were so kind to me... How can you act like this? What made you become so cold?"

Altessa stared at her in disbelief, before guilt began to shadow his eyes.

"...Raine... I remember you, the half-elven child with the Tethe'allan Scholar father, Kloitz..." He turned his back on her. "Why I have changed is none of your concern! Leave here, it is for your own good!"

The healer made as if to try and reason with him, but was stopped as Lloyd took her by the arm and led her outside.

"He's afraid of something or someone... I think seeing you just made him even more determined to turn us away, to protect us from that someone."

The woman who had led them in emerged from the door behind them.

"...I apologise...The Master does not want to get involved with Presea."

Genis came over, puzzled.

"What's going on?"

Raine sighed.

"The moment Presea's name came up he demanded we leave."

Her brother clenched his fists angrily.

"Why?!… He doesn't care if she dies?!"

The green haired woman shook her head.

"...It is not that... It is because the Master regrets what he has done."

Collette came over now, her expression pleading.

"Then please, save Presea! All she needs is for her Key Crest to be fixed."

"...I do not know if that would truly be in her best interest."

As the woman replied, Lloyd frowned again.

"Why? How could anything be worse than living in that cruel condition while waiting to die?!"

She turned her head and looked at him, seeming to come to a decision.

"...If you are that committed, then you should search for inhibitor ore."

Lloyd blinked.

"Presea's Key Crest isn't made out of inhibitor ore?"

The woman nodded.

"...Correct. Her crest is..."

A shout came through the open door.

"Tabatha! What are you doing? Get rid of them!"

The woman, Tabatha, turned to face the door.

"...I apologise, I must return." She turned her head to regard the group. "...Please come back again. I will attempt to persuade him."

She entered the cliff home, closing the door as the group left to stand a short distance away down the trail. Once they had stopped, Collette spoke.

"Does anyone know where we can we find the inhibitor ore?"

The blue haired man at the back of the group answered her.

"It's mined in the mountain range that extends between Altamira and the Ymir Forest... I would like to help if you're going to create a Key Crest for Presea. I can lead you to the mine." Everyone turned to face him as he continued. "Inhibitor ore is found relatively near the surface of the Exsphere mine. The mine I know of is on the Rymett'riron Continent, in the Toize Valley."

Zelos suddenly smiled.

"You said Altamira, right? That place is awesome! Let's stop by there on the way!"

Sheena regarded him blandly.

"You _do_ realise that even if we used our Skimmer it would take us about _six _months to go there and back... Paying a visit to some gaudy resort is _not_ something we're going to have time for."

Raine winced.

"The sea? …We're going out to sea again? ...For six months?"

The group fell silent, Lloyd looking around thoughtfully as he did a mental count of sorts. A small smile plucked at the corner of his mouth as he had an idea.

"I think just this once I can make an exception... Guys, we're going to the Toize Valley Mine and we're going there _fast_."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Three days to do this, but I kept getting sidetracked. I think you might be able to guess what Lloyd is planning... He was only actually barred from using them to go between the worlds, he he.**


	61. Ancient Mine

**Alaia Skyhawk: I'm cutting the Sorcerer's Ring out of this bit. Why a 'Sacred' ring would be used as a mining tool makes no sense... **

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 61: Ancient Mine

-

"Ah, there it is... I knew there was one around here somewhere." Lloyd jogged across a small clearing among the trees, stopping before an immense specimen that towered over those around it. He looked up at its feathered-edged, arrow shaped leaves, smiling. "It'll be three days before we can come back this way, but that's a lot better than six months."

All but the Spirits, Protozoans, and Alurannai in the group looked puzzled, Regal speaking the question on the remainder's minds.

"What does this tree have to do with us getting to the Toize Valley Mine?"

Sheena walked past him, beginning to chuckle.

"Nice one, Lloyd. Your atasi never said we couldn't use them for a quick mercy mission side trip, this is perfect." She turned and looked at the others. "There are even enough of us who can use it for everyone who can't to come as well. You, Noishe, Mezo, and I can take four, and Corrine and Dalli can take the last one together." She began to rummage in her ver, pulling out a rolled up map and taking it over to Regal. "Could you point out on this exactly where the mine is? We need to make sure we go to the one closest to save time."

The map was one of Tethe'alla, all of the lands and terrain noted but no towns marked at all. All that was marked upon it was a large number of identical green symbols scattered across all the lands on it.

Still confused, Regal pointed to a place on the southern side of the western end of the Rymett'riron Mountains.

"It's there, though I'm still puzzled as to how this is going to help us get there."

Sheena just grinned, turning to her crèche mate.

"Lloyd, the Rymett'riron Mountains: South Four Sentinel is the closest. I'd say it will take a couple of days walking from it to the mine at most."

By this point Genis and Raine, who knew about the Sentinels, realised what the pair were planning. Raine shook her head.

"Trust you to think of a way to bend the rules you were set but not break them. It's for a good reason though so I won't complain. Let's get going." She glanced at the Aeros beside her. "Mezo, would you take me through? Noishe can take Collette, while Lloyd and Sheena take Regal and Genis."

The protozoan tilted his head and chirped; his mental voice inaudible to the nearby convict whom as yet had not earned a receiver crystal.

**Fine with me.**

He and Raine walked over to the tree, the half-elven woman placing a hand on his wing as he touched his beak to the trunk and the pair of them vanished. Collette and Noishe followed next, along with Dalli, Corrine and Zelos, the same flash of soft golden light heralding their disappearance. Sheena and Genis went after them, leaving just Lloyd and Regal standing in the clearing.

The alurannai youth regarded the baffled human man.

"All of them are now standing in the Toize Valley over three thousand miles away. This tree is one of the Sentinels, what the Elves call the Tree Lords, and those who are of the three Offspring Races can travel instantly from one to another via the links of power that connect them. We can take a single person through with us when we do, but we have to wait three days before we can take another. That's why we'd have to wait at the other end before coming back here." He held out a hand. "So let's go... It doesn't hurt or anything, though there's a small chance the transfer might make you dizzy for a moment but that's no big deal."

Cautiously the blue haired convict stepped forwards, Lloyd taking him by the arm and leading him over to the tree. When the youth put his hand to the trunk the world became a swirl of strange lights, silver threads, and distant unearthly voices singing; that world then faded in an instant as warm spring air replaced the late autumn chill of the Ozette Region.

Everyone in the group was present, standing beneath the eaves of a tree near identical to that they had been under just moments before. To their right the small grove of trees they stood in ended, revealing a wide valley framed by towering mountains.

Sheena came over and patted a stunned Regal on the shoulder.

"Welcome to the Toize Valley, Sentinel style. Let's get going to that mine; the sooner we get that inhibitor ore the sooner we can return to Ozette to help Presea."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The now disused road was crumbled in places, the footing precarious as they approached the entrance of the mine. It had taken them two days to get here from the Sentinel, and now they stood before a huge square opening in the cliff face ahead of them; a hole held open by vast metal beams much like the passage beyond it. They entered the mine, the blue haired man who had led them here leading the way. Eventually they stopped in a large chamber, a complicated structure, framing a metal door, filling the far end.

As he approached it parts of it unfolded, revealing crushing arms that remained poised menacingly. He ignored them, instead heading for a control panel in a booth to their left, tapping commands in before pausing with a frown and tapping yet more commands in. His expression of concern deepened before he then came out of the booth.

"…This isn't good..."

Lloyd looked puzzled.

"What's wrong, Regal?"

The blue haired man shook his head.

"The door's guard system is out of control, and it won't respond to either the passwords or the manual override. The monitoring system says the computer program controlling the system has been corrupted, someone must have tried to force their way through the protocols and damaged it."

Lloyd glanced at the door.

"Just how much damage can that thing do with those arms?"

The convict sighed.

"Each arm can exert up to two tons of force, and they are fast, too fast for someone to dodge them. Stopping it by manual force is impossible; we'd be killed in seconds if we tried."

The alurannai youth paused thoughtfully.

"Can the outer arms reach the inner ones?"

Regal shook his head.

"No, their reach only overlaps at the edges of their range. Why do you ask?"

Lloyd turned to face his crèche mate.

"...Two tons... You feel up to it?"

Sheena grinned wickedly.

"Sure, let's give it a try. Worst comes to worse we get a few bruises."

The two of them ran at the door, the two arms in the centre rising up and extending out to strike the pair as Regal called out in horror.

"You'll be _killed!_"

He closed his eyes just before the arms' blunt ends struck the two, a pair of thuds and expelled gasps making him flinch. Seconds later a strained voice reached his ears.

"You weren't kidding about the two tons... These things pack a punch!" Regal opened his eyes to be confronted by the sight of Lloyd and Sheena holding the ends of the metal arms, the machinery visibly straining to crush them but failing to. Lloyd glanced over his shoulder. "So are you going to open that door or not? Sheena and I are strong, but we can't hold these things forever!"

Getting over his shock, Regal raced to the door in the centre of the mechanism and pried it open. He then passed through, the sound of a breaker switch being thrown heralding the sudden failing of the two arms being warded off by the two young alurannai, along with the two others.

He came back into view at the door.

"I've just cut the power supply to the door system. We won't have any more trouble with it, it's completely disabled... Please, in future give me a little explanation before you do something like that again. While the others in the group may be aware of your abilities, _I_ am not."

His normally solemn expression looked a little strained, and it was clear he'd been genuinely frightened that they were about to die. He wasn't the only one.

Zelos charged over to Lloyd and began to shake him, having been in the same proverbial boat as the convict.

"You jerk! Don't freak me out like that!"

Lloyd grimaced apologetically.

"Sorry, I guess I forgot to mention how strong alurannai are. Sheena and I aren't even at full strength yet; our parents wouldn't have just caught the arms, they'd probably have ripped them from their moorings..."

Raine walked past them, heading for the door.

"We can talk more about this later, but for now we need to get that inhibitor ore."

Regal turned, heading deeper into the mine.

"Follow me. The section where inhibitor ore can be found is in the eastern section. It's not far."

The group followed him, disused and rusting machinery lying about everywhere as they followed a set of rails used for mining carts. In some areas deep pits had been dug in search of metals and ores, and at one point they stumbled across an item that disturbed certain members of the group.

Collette bent down, picking up a small sphere which still had rock clinging to part of its surface.

"An exsphere? Why is there one of these here? And why is it so dark? I thought they were supposed to be light blue."

Sheena took the dark blue object from her, turning it over in her hands.

"This is a raw exsphere, one that hasn't been charged by drawing the life mana from people. I guess they must be mined here..."

Raine turned to the convict, who appeared to be shocked by something.

"This is an exsphere mine?"

Regal stumbled over his answer.

"...Y-yes, one of three in Tethe'alla, all of which are owned by the Lezareno Company. This one was the most productive, but was closed when parts of the exsphere mining area became unstable and dangerous." He continued to appear disturbed. "And what you said about 'life mana'... Are you saying that exspheres are charged by using _people_?"

Zelos regarded him, something in his eyes holding hidden meaning as he spoke.

"The Desians put them onto humans who are held captive in the Ranches. They leave them on those people until they've absorbed so much of that person's mana that they can't survive without them... and then they rip them off, which kills that person and causes their consciousness to become trapped inside the stone. Every charged exsphere used by Tethe'allans has been charged the same way... Only a few people know about it, and I only found out because I'm good at learning things I shouldn't know. Genis, Raine, and Collette all learnt it through experience when they raided a Ranch over in Sylvarant. The others knew already being what they are." He continued to stare at the convict. "So... Now that you know, what are you going to do about it?"

Regal's eyes hardened.

"I swear that I will do all in my power to see that no more people are lost in such an abominable way... To think of the Exsphere Brokers who sell them to the people, they must know what it is they are dealing with because they are the ones who supposedly 'process' the stones... To think that Vharley must have known..."

He stopped, his teeth clenched as remembering the name seemed to anger him.

Lloyd came over to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm guessing from your face right now that this 'Vharley' is the one you were promised retribution against in return for taking Collette from us."

Regal averted his eyes.

"It is because of him that I was convicted of murder... When a situation he created forced me to kill someone..."

Genis choked back a gasp.

"What?"

Regal sighed.

"I am a prisoner serving time for the crime of murder. He may have created the situation but I still did what I did of my own free will... I won't blame you if you look down on me."

Lloyd frowned.

"What happened?"

Regal shook his head.

"Explaining would be an excuse. I committed a crime; that's all that needs to be said."

The Nartu sighed.

"…My actions on my journey have killed many people, or led to their deaths …I don't know what you did, and your crime won't go away, but when you're suffering it's all right to at least say so."

The blue haired man turned and set off down the tunnel again, forcing the group to follow.

"…Perhaps someday I will have the opportunity to tell the story… I apologize…"

The group remained silent as they followed him ever deeper into the mine, turning west at a junction close to another security door and eventually reaching an area which showed signs of having originally been a natural series of caves. It was here that they stumbled across something they weren't expecting, a tiny humanoid figure in a red pointed hat peering up at them.

"Hey, you losers."

Genis took a step back.

"Whoa! It talks!"

The creature glared at him.

"Of course I talk! You'd better watch your mouth!"

Lloyd had also stepped back.

"He's not very civilized…"

He was the next recipient of a glare.

"I'm on a journey to find and eat some potion!"

The nearby blond haired Chosen looked at the creature, puzzled.

"'Eat'? Are you sure you're talking about potion?"

The little figure nodded seriously.

"It's something that's only for adults that makes them feel good."

Raine coughed into her hand.

"It seems he really does mean potion."

It turned to look at her.

"Do you losers have any?"

There was a pause, before Sheena accessed her ver and brought out a small bottle, handing it to the creature.

"Here..."

It took the bottle, tipping it in its hands as it peered at it.

"Is this it?! Is this the potion? You losers did a good job!"

A resounding crunch of crushed glass made all of them flinch before backing up, the silver haired mage in the group exclaimed.

"Whoa, he even ate the bottle!"

The creature didn't seem to be very impressed with its snack.

"It doesn't taste like anything. Is this what I've been travelling for all this time? This is lame!" It turned and walked off, heading for a crack in the stone wall nearby. "I'm going home. Later."

Lloyd stared after it.

"O-kay... What the heck was that all about?"

Sheena looked similarly bemused.

"I think it was a Gnomelette... but it's a hell of a long way from home if it is. The lack of manners and the description fits though."

Their was the sound of a tapping foot behind them.

"Though I have to wonder what a 'child' is doing with alcohol in their possession..."

Sheena winced as she turned and looked at Raine.

"It was in with the stuff my myrta gave me! She said if we had to, to use it for bribes..."

The half-elven woman shook her head.

"Never mind, let's just hurry and get what we came for before anything else strange happens."

Again Regal led the way, taking them across the cavern to where a rail line led down a slope beside a ravine which echoed with the sound of falling water. The source of that sound soon came into view, a huge waterfall lit by the faint mana fuels emergency lights that had lit their way thus far. He then took them across a bridge spanning that raving, stopping in an area where several sections of rail track converged on the one which crossed the bridge.

"This is the area where inhibitor ore can be found. It isn't a large vein, but it has never been extensively mined. There should be plenty within easy reach if we just search the walls for it."

The group split up, each heading along a piece of rail to check that area, a few minutes' search finding what they were looking for.

Collette ran back to the hub of the rail system.

"Lloyd, I think I found some!"

The alurannai youth came running out of his own area, following her as the rest of the group converged behind him. She took him to where there was a faint line in the wall which shone a dull gold, a brush of his glove lifting away dirt to reveal a vein of solid metal.

He brought a bag of tools out of his ver, removing a hammer and chisel from it and beginning to break a piece of the metal free.

"Great job, Collette. There's no discolouration in the metal, which means it's pure inhibitor ore. I wasn't sure I'd be able to smelt and cast a crest, since Dirk only taught me a little about forging inhibitor ore, but with this all I'll need to do to make a temporary crest is smooth it a little so I can put the runes on it... We can get a neater one made for her when we get the chance."

Sheena nodded.

"We can ask my ata the next time we see him. He'll probably have a few of them already made knowing him."

A piece broke out of the vein, Lloyd using his tools to trim and flatten it a little; also forcing a rough hole through it for the exsphere it was to go on. Then, as the group watched curiously, he got out a small engraving knife and began to scribe runes into its surface. A half an hour or so after he'd broken the metal from the wall he was holding a very basic Key Crest.

"…I think this will do. Later, once Presea has returned to her normal self, we'll do what Sheena said and ask Rennan for a better one."

Regal turned to go.

"Then let's head back to the Sentinel... It is unbearable to leave Presea in that house steeped with the stench of death any longer."

Everyone nodded in agreement, running off towards the exit of the ancient mine.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Footfalls resounded through the trees, the group running from the nearby Sentinel to the village that lay among them. Two days to the mine, two to get back, just four days ago they'd left a girl in this place, and now they'd come back with the means to cure her. They weren't bothering to skirt the village, taking the shorter faster route straight through it, not caring if the people harassed them like last time. As it was it saved them more time than they might have expected, for the girl they sought was standing on the settlement's largest root-top plaza.

As they stopped she turned and looked at them, oblivious to the frightened villagers who were staring at her from the shadows, avoiding her. She began to cross the plaza, before suddenly charging at them, drawing the massive axe from across her back.

The group scattered, Lloyd calling out in shock.

"Presea! Why are you attacking us?!"

She lunged at him, her heavy axe just missing his head as he ducked.

"I must look after daddy... Mr Rodyle says you will take my exsphere away if I do not stop you. He said you will take away my strength so that I can't help Daddy anymore."

Lloyd stared at her in shock.

"What? That's not true! That thing is killing you! We just want to fix the crest on it!"

She swung her axe again, her exsphere blazing as energy followed the blade's edge before sweeping out like a massive scythe, forcing the group to scatter further and cutting deep gashes into the nearby trees and buildings. Screams rose from around then, the people of the village fleeing into the surrounding forest.

"Mr Rodyle helped me, without him I would not be able to take care of Daddy." She glanced around, seeing that the members of the group were far apart before she looked up and shouted. "Now!"

A chorus of shrieks filled the air, dozens of winged dragons bursting through the canopy and descending upon the group. A scream rang out before one of them raced away, Collette limp in its claws. It was then that one of the other dragons swooped past, a man with violet hair sneering down at them.

"Good work, Presea." He looked at the rest of the stunned group as the massed dragons began to scatter. "I am Rodyle, the most cunning of the Desian Grand Cardinals! I hope you don't mind me taking the Chosen One. Hehehehehe!"

One of the dragons headed for Presea, who just stood there waiting for it to grab her. It didn't get the chance, Sheena light jumping to her side and flinging her out of the way. Lloyd wasn't watching thought, having taken flight to climb above the trees searching for his friend.

"_Colette!_" He turned, eyes searching frantically. It was pointless, there were close to a hundred dragons above the trees, all heading in different directions away from the village. Too far away now for him to see which one had her. His heart filled with despair, he descended to land beside his friends. "She's gone... There were too many, I couldn't see which one had her..."

Sheena came over, carrying a semi-conscious Presea.

"Rodyle, one of Desian Grand Cardinals... At least we know he's not taking her to Yggdrasil. Inanu Yuan said that guy never does anything not for his own benefit, and that he hates Yggdrasil's guts. Giving her to him would be helping him, something Rodyle would never do."

She set the rose haired girl down, Regal coming over to stand solemn beside her. He turned to Lloyd.

"Will you still help Presea?"

The Nartu sighed.

"…Yeah. What happened here wasn't her fault; she was being used and manipulated." He brought out the Key Crest he'd made two days previous, kneeling down and setting it over her existing crest. "With this she should return to her real self."

The moment the crest clicked into place she began to stir, a faint moan rising from her before she opened her eyes, squinting a bit in confusion.

"...Huh?"

Genis rushed over, helping her sit up.

"Presea? Are you okay?"

She blinked for a few seconds, before going wide eyed. "What? What am I doing?" She stumbled to her feet, her expression panicked. "Where's my daddy?"

She broke free of them, running off in the direction of her home while the group scrambled after her. She didn't stop, didn't stop running until she entered the cottage and reached the room where to her knowledge her father lay sleeping.

As she took hesitant steps towards the bed, Lloyd averted his eyes.

"I'm sorry... but he's been dead for a long time..."

The last few steps she ran, dropping to her knees beside the remains of her father.

"I…what have I been doing? Daddy!!"

She began to scream in hysterics, Lloyd grabbing her and pulling her struggling from the room while the rest of the group set about dealing with the body.

"I'll look after her, you deal with that."

He stayed by her as Sheena used magic to dig a grave, stayed by her as the bundle of sheets and blankets lifted directly from the bed was brought out and lowered into it, and he stayed by her as the grave was filled. By then she just stared in numb silence, her only independent movement being to enter the house and come out holding an axe whose handle was worn smooth by much use. She tied it to the post which had been placed as a grave marker, stepping back afterwards before speaking barely above a whisper.

"…Thank you for assisting me with my daddy's burial."

Raine walked to her side, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Have you calmed down a little?"

Presea nodded slowly.

"I've…been a great burden on you all."

Lloyd regarded her with sympathy.

"You remember?"

Again she nodded.

"Yes…mostly…"

Genis spoke up now.

"Why did you have an Exsphere like that on you?"

Her eyes became distant as she searched her clouded memory.

"I received it from a man called Rodyle. My daddy was too ill to work, and we didn't have enough money for food and medicine. I wanted to learn how to wield an axe, so I could work in my daddy's place, but I wasn't strong enough. It was after one of my trips into the forest to try and get Sacred Wood that I met Rodyle. He was waiting here for me, and after hearing about my daddy being ill, and my needing to be stronger, he asked me if I wanted to test a special exsphere for him. He promised me someone would look after my father while I was away, and then introduced me to a man called Vharley. It was he who took me to the Research Academy in Sybak, and it was there that I was given it."

Regal clenched his fists.

"I knew it…Vharley!"

After a brief glance at the convict, Zelos regarded Lloyd.

"So now we know... The Pope is in league with that Cardinal, Rodyle."

The Nartu nodded.

"Yeah..."

Regal chose that moment to speak again.

"Presea. Do you have an older sister?"

She looked at him, puzzled.

"No, but I have a younger sister. She left to go into service for a noble and that was the last I saw of her. Besides her my only family was Daddy, our mother died when I was a child."

Zelos tilted his head.

"When you were a child? Heh, you're still a child now."

She stopped for a moment, glancing down at herself and then up at them.

"Oh…yes, of course. That's right."

Sheena looked down at her.

"At any rate, we can't just leave you here in this village by yourself if you have no one to turn to."

"Yes, the people of this village seem to avoid her."

Presea looked between Sheena and Raine, before turning to face Lloyd.

"I…uh…I'd like to go with all of you if that would be all right." She looked at the ground. "…It's my fault that Colette was taken away. So please, let me help in her rescue."

Regal also turned to him now.

"Please allow me continue with the group as well. It seems that my fate is linked to your enemy."

Lloyd smiled.

"First Precept of the Alurannai: They who acknowledge their mistakes and attempt to correct them. Can be forgiven even if they fail, for at least they'll have tried... You're both more than welcome to come with us. Though where we're going now needs to be decided."

Sheena cleared her throat.

"While I know we'll have to make a report to the jiisumura at the Sentinel, perhaps we could head to Mizuho after that. We're only a week's travel away from there if we follow the eastern edge of the fjord, and Mizuho have a spy network across Tethe'alla that is far more extensive than the scattering of jiisumura that the Alurannai can spare right now. They told me before I left that if we need it they'll help us; all we have to do is ask."

Lloyd set off in the direction of the Sentinel, his expression determined.

"Come on then, let's go!"

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Some obvious changes here, and for those wondering about Collette's illness it won't be showing up for quite a while. It's gonna follow the pattern I used for Martel in Prequel, since if it appeared now they'd spot it and cure it now; which given I'm sticking as close to game plot as possible I can't have happen.**


	62. Change of Plans

**Alaia Skyhawk: For those who had been wondering, here's Mizuho XD**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 62: Change of Plans

-

The valley north of the fjord was a different from the south as one might imagine. The higher altitude resulting in the sparse scattering of trees being pine, the air cooler, that air brushed past them beneath a crystal clear sky as they followed a shallow river towards a cluster of thatch roofed building ahead. Sheena was in the lead this time, a little nervous given that the group had three extra members which the village wouldn't be expecting her to have with her upon her during this her next visit.

She sighed, a little nervous.

"Keep talk to a minimum while we're here, and don't pester the villagers. We're here to see Vice Chief Tiga, and that's all. Even with his acceptance of events regarding my original mission to Sylvarant, there are people in the village who are still understandably upset with me."

They reached the gates of the village, people stopping and staring at them as the group made their way across several small bridges which spanned the network of streams that flowed through the heart of the settlement. As Sheena had warned there were several who looked very unhappy to see her, and a large number of others who seemed to be directing glares at the Tethe'allan Chosen in their group.

Noticing this, he began to mutter.

"Damn, I knew I was unpopular in some places, but not that it was _this _bad..."

Sheena murmured back.

"After the failure of my mission Mizuho's spy network has learnt that Tethe'alla is blaming the village for putting this world in danger. I had to forbid them from telling the king about my being alurannai, the one thing that would have neutralised the blame, which is why I need to be careful around here for now. As for you, Zelos, it's the Pope who's kicking up the most fuss about the village, so as the member of the Church who is technically his superior you're seen as letting him persecute the people here."

Zelos flinched.

"Ouch... And no one here is now taking into account that a couple of months ago I was declared a traitor?"

She gave him a bemused glance.

"Um... actually I spoke to one of the spies the night after we left Gaorachia... He said that the Pope has declared that 'invaders from Sylvarant' have abducted you and that his men are searching for 'our holy Chosen' in order to save you from them... Basically, while the people here know that you're actually going against him, the fact that the general populace thinks you still support him means it's pretty much worthless knowing it. The people at the Imperial Research Academy who witnessed you agree to help us trick them to save Collette have been reassigned to a secure and remote research facility south of Meltokio, so they can't refute the Church's little lie either."

The red head grimaced.

"Great, just great... As if things weren't bad enough. This must be a nightmare for my sister, and I'm doing this to _protect_ her. So much for that; they'll have her under even closer observation now."

Lloyd came up beside him.

"I promise you, as Nartu of the Alurannai, that at the first opportunity I'll see to it your sister is taken to safety. Since my people thought they'd failed in their trying to get you raised as a strong leader for the Tethe'allans, it's likely we have a jiisumura with her or near her. I've never asked about it, so I can't be sure, but it's likely."

Zelos sighed.

"Thanks bro, I know you'll do your best for her."

By this point they crossed one final bridge, Sheena stopping before the wooden sliding door of the building to turn and face them.

"The Vice Chief will know we're here already, just let me explain things since I know what's already been told to him." She looked at the animal-like members of the group. "Could you guys stay outside? It's not exactly big in there."

The Protozoans and Spirits nodding and then settling themselves off to once side, the rest of the group followed Sheena into the house... An exclamation of surprise bursting from her a moment later.

The ebon haired alurannai woman, sitting inside with a Mizuhoan man with greying brown hair, smiled up at her.

"I was in Nae Shiu when the report about Collette being taken came in, so I've come to help until we find her."

Sheena walked over.

"Myrta, I'm glad you're here." She glanced at the man. "Vice Chief Tiga, has my mother told you what's going on?"

The man nodded from where he sat knelt on a flat cushion at the head of the room.

"She has. I've already sent word out across our network for our agents to look for Sylvarant's Chosen, and Vayla here has informed me that the Alurannai's jiisumura will be acting as the go between with both us and the Renegades... Who would have thought that that organisation would have had such close links to a lost Race for so long." He turned his head, his eyes indicating the corner behind the group. "Hanamori Mika, a member of the Renegades, has come with our alurannai visitor as liaison for her organisation."

The group spun, coming face to face with a woman whose vivid blue eyes stared out of a face framed by hair like darkest charcoal. She smiled at them.

"It's been a while, since we crossed paths at the Asgard Ranch. I wasn't at the Triet Base when you were there, so I never got the chance to introduce myself properly, although Lloyd and Sheena will remember me."

The pair in question launched themselves at her, enveloping her in a hug.

"Inmyru Mika!"

She laughed, pushing them back to arm's length.

"It's great to see you two again properly, but I'm here on business so we don't really have time to chat." She looked at the man who had pointed her out. "Vice Chief Tiga, I thank you for allowing me back into the village. It was good to see my uncle again, although it saddens me that he's so ill."

Sheena stiffened.

"Y-you're Chief Iggaguri's niece?!"

Mika averted her eyes.

"My mother was his sister, and she fell in love with an elven man who passed through this village back then. I left the village just after Tethe'alla sent their preliminary request for an assassin to kill Sylvarant's Chosen. They have mage trackers, so my presence here might have led to the village being located." She sighed. "My presence here would have caused too much trouble. I joined the Renegades not long after that, an act which means I can never again be part of this place. They'd never be able to trust that I wasn't a spy for the Renegades."

Tiga shook his head.

"But that is no longer true, Mika. This village is now allied with the Renegades, which is no doubt why First sent you to be the organisation's representative. You may have left this village all those years ago, but your uncle has still refused to declare a successor from candidates within the village. Sheena might have been picked eventually, being found and raised by him, but with the knowledge of her being alurannai now making that impossible, it remains that if he does not name someone then _you_ are his successor by default."

Mika flinched.

"And do you remember the uproar among the villagers back then when the mere _idea_ of a half-elven Chief came up? As things are now, my being Chief here is the impossibility." She crossed her arms, her expression sombre. "Look, can we just decide on whether or not we're going to go to the Temple of Lightning? Vayla has already diagnosed what's wrong with Chief Iggaguri, and Lloyd and his friends need to go there at some point anyway."

At the latter of the statements Sheena retreated behind Lloyd, Regal commenting aloud as she did so.

"Why do you need to go there? Besides the Temple there is nothing on that island."

Vayla got to her feet.

"Chief Iggaguri was there at the time he fell into a coma, and wearing an exsphere at that time as well. He doesn't have it on him now, and Tiga said he didn't when he was carried back here. Exspheres can pull the wearer's consciousness out of them in times of extreme trauma, and that consciousness remains tied to it until the exsphere is re-equipped. Iggaguri is alive, which means his exsphere is still whole somewhere. It must be in the temple, so we're going to retrieve it at the same time as we go there for Lloyd and Sheena to make a pact with Volt. They need it if the group is to be able to use Rhieards, which you might need to since Winged Dragons were used in Collette's abduction."

Zelos, thinking over the past week and the reactions of the alurannai he'd met in that time, frowned.

"You don't seem all that concerned about Collette... I have thought you'd be in a rush to save her, she could be in danger or even dead by now."

Vayla regarded him steadily.

"We know why he has taken her... He's building something over in Sylvarant, and the Renegades agents within his Ranch reported quite some time ago that the controls for that device have a mounting built into them that is the right size for a Cruxis Crystal. It seems he wants to boost its power using one, which is why he'll have taken Collette. He wants her Crystal, but he won't be able to get it. It's standard practice for Alurannai manufactured Crystal mounts to be embedded with enchantments to prevent removal of the Crystal by anyone but its wearer. A Crystal is its wearer's greatest weakness, for if it is destroyed or removed the wearer will immediately die. The mounts we make for them are warded against both of those events... Collette is safe, for if he cannot get her Crystal off her then he will no doubt use her as bait to lure you, since you have Presea in your group."

They all turned to look at the rose haired girl among them, a girl who was rather confused.

"What? Why?"

Lloyd answered her.

"You were being used in an experiment to try and create a Cruxis Crystal... The Alurannai have encountered it before, and know that the process itself, while coming close to success, will never produce a usable one. Rodyle doesn't know that, so when he discovers that Collette's Crystal is beyond his reach, he'll come after his next best chance at getting his hands on one... You."

Presea looked at the floor, her fists clenched.

"That man... he's stolen so much from me..."

Genis placed a hand on her arm.

"Don't worry, we'll get Collette back and then we'll stop him once and for all! I'm never going to let anyone hurt you again!"

She looked up at him, noticing the faint blush on his face when she met his eyes. Pausing for a moment, she nodded in gratitude.

"Thank you, Genis. I appreciate it."

As the teenage half-elf blushed even redder, Mika walked over to Vayla's side.

"It's settled then, we're going to the Temple of Lightning to find my uncle's exsphere and to make a pact with Volt."

It was then that it all got too much for Sheena. Her eyes full of fear, she bolted for the door as the group watched in shock.

Vayla went to head after her.

"Sheena!"

Lloyd stopped her.

"She's frightened of Volt... She's the reason Volt flipped out twelve years ago, when she was forced into trying to make a pact with him. That's why she froze when we were fighting Undine; she was scared she'd fail again... She never said anything to you because she was still trying to deal with it emotionally." He turned and headed for the door. "I'll go talk to her; I'm the only one who can talk her around and get her to agree to try again."

As he left the house, Vayla turned to look at Tiga.

"Is that true? You never said anything about it when you explained where Iggaguri had been when he fell into a coma."

The Vice Chief gazed up at her, his tone apologetic.

"After Sheena was separated from Corrine she fell into depression. After several months certain highly regarded people here began questioning the wisdom in continuing to care for a foundling who was quickly becoming a burden on the village. Iggaguri had no choice to bow to the pressure placed on him by those people and send her with an escort to the Temple of Lightning. It was reasoned that after losing one Spirit, gaining another would bring her out of her malaise. The idea backfired however, leading to the deaths of a quarter of the village population. Many people here blamed her for the deaths, and for the chief falling into a coma, but I defended her and managed to convince them to allow her to stay... The price being that she would be the one sent to Sylvarant... A mission highly likely to end in her either being killed or permanently stranded there."

As Vayla flinched, Raine came to her side to hopefully help the woman keep the inevitable maternal anger in check.

"As horrible and callous as that sounds, it's clear it was the only decision you could make that would leave Sheena a home to live in, instead of being thrown out to face the world alone at such a young age. You did the only thing you _could_ do to protect her."

It was then that Vayla sighed, relaxing as anger faded beneath reason.

"...Thank you, Tiga, for protecting her as best you could. Now if you will excuse me, I will wait outside the village until it is time for our group to depart."

She left the house, the group watching her go until Tiga spoke.

He got up, turning to look at the oldest of the three half-elves present.

"Mika, the house you lived in is still vacant. You and your friends may use it to rest until you depart for the temple."

She nodded, turning and heading for the door.

"Understood. Thank you, Vice Chief." She glanced up at the rafter. "Fiuras, let's go."

A red-tailed hawk fluttered down onto her shoulder, the remainder of the group following her outside. Out in the sunlight again, it was quickly noticed that the two Protozoans outside were gone, as was one of the Spirits. The remainder trotted over to the group, the small wolf falling in to walk beside them.

"Noishe and Mezo have gone with Vayla, and Corrine has taken Lloyd to go find Sheena. She looked really frightened about facing Volt, but Lloyd should be able to boost her confidence."

Zelos looked down at Dalli.

"You knew about it? Even Sheena's mom never knew."

The Spirit sighed.

"I learnt about it from Corrine, and like him and Lloyd decided that the fewer people who knew then the less pressure there would be on Sheena. We did it to spare her, and give her time to come to terms with it... It looks like she still hasn't though."

Raine frowned as Mika led them towards the edge of the village, the woman getting as many glances of dislike as the red headed Chosen among them.

"This isn't good. We can't afford to have her freeze when she faces him, we _need_ that pact."

Dalli sighed again.

"I'm sure that when the time comes, she'll do fine."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Following the small fox-like spirit, Lloyd gazed around at the crystal clear waters of the river, breathing in the crisp scent of the pine trees around him. Seeing this place now he didn't really need Corrine to guide him, this path being one he'd seen several times in Sheena's dreams before they'd met her at the Ossa Trail. This had been one of her secret places, a place she would go when the pressures placed on her by the people of Mizuho became too much and she needed time to think. The quiet here was like a balm to the soul, easing worry and stress and letting you find peace with yourself in what was a chaotic world. He knew when he'd reached her, recognised the rock which leaned out over the edge of the river. Climbing up it, he sat down beside her.

"We won't die, Alysii... I know that's what you fear will happen, but you've got to remember that we'll all be with you. The two of us _will_ succeed; we'll do it for all the people who believe in us. You succeeded in making a pact with Undine, your strength helping Dallinius pound her just as much as mine did. We made the pact then because we worked together, and facing Volt will be no different."

Pulling her knees up to her chest, Sheena put her arms around them as she stared at the water below.

"But what if I really am not strong enough? I could end up getting you killed, and without you Yggdrasil will win."

Lloyd closed his eyes, thinking.

"Remember what my ata said when we visited Andorei Wrau again? 'Hiding from the past doesn't make it go away; it just leaves it to fester in the back of one's mind'... You _need_ to do this... If you don't then you'll be haunted by Volt's shadow for the rest of your life..."

She lifted her head, turning it slowly to face him.

"After we traced our footsteps back to the Sentinel there, I said that I still had a part of my past I needed to face, and that the time to do it would come eventually... This is that time, isn't it..."

Lloyd nodded, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah... But you won't be facing it alone. We'll do it together."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: I know one of my readers will be very happy right now. Yup, Mika is gonna help inside the Temple of Lightning. That's Mika the Renegade, not Mika the Protozoan XD**

**Also, Sa Ka Mo, you didn't miss Corrine taking Zelos through the Sentinel, I fixed it after your review. Thanks for pointing it out. :D**


	63. Strength of Faith and Trust

**Alaia Skyhawk: WOO HOO! This fic has now passed the 300k words mark! Flipping hell, I'm only about halfway through...**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 63: Strength of Faith and Trust

-

Thunder split the air, the distant rage of an angry storm. It had taken three weeks to reach here, the latter half spent on a Skimmer which was far more crowded than the last time it had been used. The seas beneath it surged and roiled in the power of the rising storm, causing one member of the group to cower against her crèche mate.

Lloyd did his best to comfort the frightened Sheena, his expression hard as he gazed at the tower visible beyond the approaching shore.

"I think Volt knows we're here, and I don't think he's happy..."

Mika frowned as she looked out of the front window of the skimmer, Vayla in the pilot's seat beside her.

"Didn't you say that Volt went nuts when Kratos was here? It took Lord Krishka to keep Volt from attacking him, and once he was done here Kratos had to literally run for his life to the Sentinel near the Temple. Are we even going to get that close?"

Dalli looked up at her from where he sat at Lloyd's feet.

"He won't touch the ship while I'm on it... and my presence should keep him at bay long enough to speak to him once we enter the temple. Hopefully once things are explained to him he'll calm down."

There was a scuffing sound from the door, Genis peering into the control cabin.

"Hopefully'? I'm not sure I like the sound of that." He entered, closing the door behind him. "Raine is almost on the point of freaking out with the sea being so rough. Is it going to take much longer before we reach the shore?"

Mika looked at him, concerned, before glancing at Vayla.

"Is it wise to take her in with us? If she's still shaken from being on the Skimmer when we enter the temple she might end up getting herself killed. With Volt so angry one slip could send her to her death."

Vayla sighed.

"And leaving her in a camp near the shore is little better. We're a long ways inside Volt's Sanctuary and the reach of his power. She's safer with us, rather than alone in a place where he might attack her while we're unable to protect her."

Mika shook her head before looking out the window again, absently petting the Summon Spirit on her shoulder. Fiuras had been introduced to the group that night spent in Mizuho, and he was little happier than his partner.

Fluffing his feathers, he then snuggled against Mika's ear.

"She has a point, Mika. At least with Raine with us we can keep an eye on her, and even shaken up I'm sure she'll be able to help with healing should that become necessary."

The Renegade woman continued to watch the tower framed by storm clouds.

"Still, I'm glad it's not _me_ making this pact. I'm happy enough with you, and I'm not sure I could handle the pressure of just how important this pact is."

Lloyd and Sheena glanced at one another, the former speaking for both of them.

"We're ready to give it all we've got, to make this pact. This will just be the second of ten we _have_ to make, so we can't afford to waver. Fear or no fear, Sheena and I will do this!"

Mika remained at her watch.

"You've grown so strong, both of you. I still remember when you were little, you were so caring of the welfare of others, and you still are. I'm proud of both of you, and proud that you would consider me a part of your families. When you face Volt... Would you mind if I were one of the other two to fight alongside you?"

Sheena looked up at her.

"We'd like that... I think we probably would have picked you anyway."

Mika turned, smiling.

"He he, well I _am_ a top class summoner. Just as well I suppose that I'm physically unable to make a pact with a Greater Spirit, since it's led to me becoming an expert in all forms of Lesser Summoning. Less power or not, Lesser Spirits can pack a huge punch if their partner has the skill."

Vayla shifted, her hands moving over the controls of the Rhieard engines that were propelling the ship, shutting them down so that the Skimmer could glide to a stop over the last hundred yards to the shore.

"I won't refute that statement... Not when I know you and Fiuras have charred four 'false doves' solo, and you're a heck of a lot better at that technique now."

Mika grimaced.

"I may be better at it, but it's still incredibly draining to perform it. I'd rather not have to call on it unless I must."

The Skimmer came to a stop, everyone in the cabin getting up... It was time to enter the temple...

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Fourteen individuals stood before the tower entrance, staring upwards at the spire of dark violet stone. The clouds overhead were continuing to rumble, errant shards of white fire cracking between them and the tower's peak.

The two Protozoans in the group stepped back, Mezo speaking as he chirped a little in discomfort.

**We'll have to stay out here... Protozoans can't take part in Pact Battles, so us coming would only reduce the space the rest of you will have if Volt does something aggressive.**

Noishe whimpered.

**Be careful in there... I don't think I've ever sensed such an aura of rage from a Greater Summon Spirit, bar the time when the Giant Tree was injured.** He walked over to Lloyd, nuzzling him before turning away. **Take care, Lloyd. Don't do anything stupid, we can't afford to lose you.**

Lloyd sighed, Regal and Presea watching from nearby unable to hear the Arshis' words.

"I know I'm important, Noishe. I don't need reminding of just how much of a disaster it would be if I got killed. If I have to I'll run from Volt... Better to leave and live, to come back and try again later."

He then headed towards the temple entrance, the group falling into step around him while two members puzzled over what his words might have meant. As soon as they were inside Vayla took the lead, striding down a walkway suspended over a pit of which they could see no bottom, flashes of lightning within the tower lighting their way. When they reached a set of stairs, she headed up them, ignoring the paths to either side after giving them the barest glance.

"The traps are disabled, probably from when Kratos was here. He would have wanted to leave himself a clear path to escape once his job here was done... The Seal is on an upper platform in the next chamber, and that area is probably where Chief Iggaguri's exsphere is as well."

They climbed up a second set of stairs, entering a doorway at the far side of the pit. The chamber beyond was much like parts of the Water Temple, columns supporting walls amid formal carvings. As the looked upwards at the room's far side, they could see two sets of stairs leading to an upper balcony with the structure of a Seal set upon it. That wasn't the only thing they spotted though, for on the floor of the lower level, close to the edge of the balcony, a glint of gold and pale blue caught their eyes.

Mika walked over to it, picking up the exsphere and its mount.

"You were right, Vayla, it was left here." She pocketed it before turning to face the stairs on the left. "Well that's one job done. Now for the next one."

She set off up the stairs, Dalli darting ahead of her and forcing her to pause and let him past.

"Let me go first, just in case."

They followed him up, joining him beside the seal. As soon as they stopped, the room shook as in a flare of light and a roar of lightning the Summon Spirit they sought appeared before them.

He looked down at the small wolf, red eyes disdainful and full of hate upon the surface of his spherical form.

"_Ni em ani burre ta Mithos... Burran girrka ela tetha, Dallinius..._"

Vayla looked up at him, translating.

"He said, 'I am one bound to Mithos... Why have you come here, Dallinius'."

The wolf gazed up at him.

"It is time, Volt. The awaited time has come! A pact must be made, the conclusion of the Prophesy of Restoration depends on it!"

Regal and Presea gasped in shock, the latter speaking.

"What? The Prophesy of Restoration? It's about to come true?"

The convict spoke next.

"But that means the Chosen of Restoration has been born..."

Lloyd glanced sidelong at them.

"Yeah... and it's me. Nartu Lloyd Aurion, prince of Aluran, bearer of the weight of two worlds' futures..."

Raine looked a little unsettled at this being revealed to them now, but she went along with it.

"More can be explained later, at a time we can also sort out the Geas of Silence on you two to protect this secret. We can't afford to let Cruxis learn of what is really going on, so you'll _have_ to swear to it."

Mika turned to them next.

"If you won't then I'll have no choice but to take you to one of the Renegades' bases... There you will be kept in secure confinement until such a time as Cruxis is destroyed."

Dallinius glared at her.

"Enough of this for now, we're here for a pact so let's not waste time... Lloyd! Sheena!"

The pair stepped forward, standing side by side as they uttered in unison.

"Volt, we ask that you anulst thy pact with Mithos, and by our right as alurannai, establish a new joint pact with us."

The Spirit stared down at them.

"_Mi para bela Mithos dii gashdo, bu ni os nuote zenrae u para..._" His eyes narrowed."_Ni dein giirka os dareku bera jiisu!!_"

Sheena ran forward.

"No, we need your help!"

Lloyd stepped forward as well, sensing the surge of fury driven mana rising.

"Sheena, look out!"

He just reached her when the blast of lightning stuck, everyone on the balcony being flung to the level below. The fall ended up saving them, for nothing, not even an alurannai, would have survived the raging power which still roiled above them.

As he got to his feet, Dalli's voice called weakly from near him.

"You'll have to subdue him by force. All of you, fight him together. This is no Pact Battle, it's a battle to survive..." Lloyd spotted the Spirit, racing to where Dalli lay limp on the floor. "I took the blow to spare you all... I will be fine, but _you _need to stop him."

Getting up, Lloyd drew his swords as the raging Volt descended towards them.

"Everyone! Throw _everything_ you have at him!"

He charged forwards, the chant of a water spell leaving his lips even as his blades deflected a bolt of lightning. Behind him everyone who could cast water spells was doing likewise, only Raine casting something different.

She lifted her staff high.

"ALLIED SANCTUARY!"

As the silver light faded blast after blast of water began ploughing into the Spirit, while Regal and Presea lunged in to distract him.

Behind them all, Mika was also preparing a cast, but not a normal one.

"FIURAS! COME TO ME!"

The little hawk appeared in the air above her, descending to her before the pair of them erupted into flame. The huge phoenix took flight, barely able to fit inside the chamber as she leapt once to bring talons crashing down onto Volt and pinning him to the floor. Her laugh of triumph as the manoeuvre worked was cut off however when the spirit took advantage of the physical contact and sent a surge of lightning through her.

With a shriek she was flung backwards, the fiery construct shattering to leave her and her partner to slam into the far wall and drop unconscious to the floor. Regal and Presea were quick to follow, along with Genis, Raine, and Zelos...

Only the three alurannai and a single Spirit still standing, Vayla flung out yet another water spell.

"STORM SPRAY!"

The needles of water cut into the raging Volt, his roar shaking the chamber before she too was flung back by his fury leaving just the two would-be pact makers to face him along with the diminutive Corrine.

Backing up, Sheena began to shake.

"It's just like before... I'm not strong enough!"

Lloyd rushed to her side, gripping her by the arm and pulling her out of the path of a bolt of lightning before it could hit her.

"Yes you are! We said we'd do this together! I believe in you Sheena, with all my heart, so let's do this!"

She went wide eyed as she realised something.

"Heart... That's it, I know how we can do this! Give me your strength, Lloyd! Give me the power of your belief in me, the way I did for you back when we fought Undine!"

Lloyd immediately stepped behind her, placing his hands on her shoulder as she had done for him back them.

"Go for it!"

She took up her casting stance, the Spirit beside them sensing what they were about to try as the triple circle of a major summoning formed around them in deepest rose.

"I call upon the Lord of the Eternal Music. The beat that exists within all..." She opened her eyes, glaring at Volt. "I summon thee... COME VERIUS!"

The power around the pair blazed, moving to surround the Spirit at their side. The light grew ever brighter, a miniature sun as bright as the screaming bolt of death which was now descending towards them.

The strike was deflected, Volt's shriek filling the air as something slammed into him and the entire chamber shook... And then it fell silent, soft power drifting over the injured and rousing them. Those who had been knocked out groaned as they got to their feet, each of them then staring in shock at the scene before them.

Volt had ensnared by cords of power, the Spirit limp within their grasp as the one who had subdued him then lowered him to the floor. That one then turned to face them, his multitude of blue-green tails open like a fan behind him as he then sat beside the pair who had restored him to his true state.

"The fight is over, the pact will now be made as the Prophesy requires."

Zelos blinked, stunned.

"What the... Who the heck are you?"

The huge fox regarded him with amusement.

"I am Verius of course, the Summon Spirit of Heart." He looked at the pair beside him. "Their hearts being the ones whose strength have enabled me to at long last take on this form again..."

A small wolf now limped over to him, settling beside him before also taking on a greater form. His rings of crystals glittering, Dallinius gave a canine smile to his fellow Spirit.

"And so at long last the power of the Five Sumara Lords is whole once more... Welcome back, Verius."

The Spirit behind them stirred, rising off the floor as all but the two alurannai youths and the two Sumara Lords tensed.

Volt turned his gaze on those that had come seeking his help.

"_Watiu minu yrata..._"

Lloyd and Sheena turned, the expressions showing they barely believed what he'd just said, but even so they did as he'd asked.

"We Vow for the sake of all, to do what we must to restore the mana for the sake of the World."

Volt looked at them for a moment more, before two streams of light reached out from him and coalesced in each of the youth's left hands. That light then dimmed, leaving each of them holding a ring set with a piece of sardonyx.

Sheena looked down at it, speaking in a bare whisper.

"We did it... We got the pact!"

Azure light flared, Undine appearing above them to gaze down at them with scarlet eyes.

"The mana link between the two worlds is about to break, Lloyd, Sheena, we need you to set the new one and quickly!"

The two youths spread their wings, putting on the rings even as they raced to the seal above and the rest of the group scrambled up the stairs. Reaching it Lloyd and Sheena both leaned over its edge, touching one of eight fan-shaped pieces of mana quartz which sat within it. The rings they wore blazed, the Back-ups that Kratos had installed here over a year ago beginning to glow as lines of light connected the eight of them like a star. The heart of that star grew, the searing azure glow of intense pure mana screaming upwards to vanish into thin air without a trace.

As soon as it faded the two youths stepped back, Lloyd taking hold of Sheena's hand as he turned to look down at Undine and Volt.

"...Did it work?"

The Water Spirit nodded.

"It has... The new Mana Link has been successfully created, and the old one has been replaced with an illusion by Lord Krishka... All we can do now is wait and see if Yggdrasil notices what we have done."

Lloyd sighed, pausing for a moment before heading over to Zelos and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Then it's time to give him a nudge in the wrong direction... Zelos... You know what to do..."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The emerald haired woman stopped before the throne, bowing her head in this great diamond-shaped hall in the heart of the castle of Vinheim. Lifting her head once more, she met the jade gaze of the man sat in that throne.

"Sir, I've just received information from Tethe'alla's Chosen regarding the plans of the group protecting Collette. They've just been to the Temple of Lightning, and have succeeded in two of their members making a pact with Volt. It seems they plan to attempt manually switching over the mana flow to regenerate Sylvarant, so that they won't have to hand Collette over to us. They believe that by collecting the pacts with the eight Greater Elemental Summon Spirits they may be able to seize control of the Mana Links from you, and in turn wrest the entire system out of your control."

The icy eyed angel regarded her for a few moments, before he began to laugh.

"Those fools! As long as the Mana Links pass through the Chamber of the Great Seed they can _never_ take control of them from me. I suppose I could simply snatch Collette from them now, with Kratos not with them to protect them with his precious Summon Spirit of Life... I think it will be far more amusing to let them continue to hope. Besides, Collette still runs the risk of developing Chronic Angelus Crystalus Innoficium. Letting them deal with curing it if she does will save me the time of coaxing some dumb virgin healer into going to a unicorn for me. Why go to the trouble when they'll do all that themselves?" He sneered. "If they're useful, make use of them, and then throw them away when they cease to be... Let them hope. Revenge will be all the sweeter when they fail..."

He resumed his laughter, both him and Pronyma completely unaware of the little white wolf that had watched from the shadows behind the unassigned throne of the Third Seraphim...

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"I'm back."

Dallinius appeared, landing right in the middle of the waiting huddle at the edge of the camp. Presea and Regal were sleeping, the pair of them as mentally exhausted as they we physically, from all that they'd learnt today and the pressure of swearing into the Geas of Silence.

After letting the spirit settle himself, the red headed Chosen spoke.

"So, how did the bitch's master take my little 'report'?"

Dallinius smirked.

"He fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. He thinks we can't take the Hourglass System from him, and it's true that if the Mana Links had to remain going through the Chamber of the Great Seed we couldn't. But he has no idea that we already have backups in place, staring him in the face on every Seal, and have installed relays in the dimensional rifts at the second Pole in the system. The Relays and Backups are impossible to damage or remove now, which gives us a huge advantage. Krishka has set up the first of the false mana links in place through the four relays in the Chamber of the Great Seed, so nothing looks or feels any different in there. And with Krishka also preventing Yggdrasil from using the Eternal Sword to 'see' things, he won't be able to spot that the 'Links' are just small looped flows of mana that don't go anywhere."

Lloyd leaned forward, ruffling the small wolf's ears.

"He was in the Chamber of the Great Seed not that long after we broke and replaced the first Mana Link, and the Great Seed says he noticed nothing different about the Water-Lightning Relay." He smiled. "The greatest deceptions are where the targets deceive themselves, and Yggdrasil is doing a great job at that on himself, Cruxis, and the Desians."

Mika sighed, wincing as she stretched her shoulder out, the joint still hurting from when she'd hit the wall despite the mass of healing spells that had been used on them all after leaving the temple.

"Let's just hope it stays that way... One down, three to go... and then we find out just what will happen when the cage around the Great Seed fails..."

Concerned glances passed between those who knew the possible outcomes, as they silently prayed that the worst of those would not occur.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Yay! 'Verius' is back! I think it was pretty obvious he'd be the one to pound Volt, it was still fun to write though :D**


	64. Return to the Base

**Alaia Skyhawk: Updates might go really quiet for a couple of weeks, since I'll be playing ToS: Dawn of the New World (is fidgeting with impatience) I've managed to make my European Wii region free without having to get a mod chip, so my nice shiny imported US version I've ordered should be coming in post in a few days (Grins) Sure I already know the basic plot and main spoilers for the game but I'm still itching to learn all the little details and fun scenes you can't find on Youtube. I had to find out gist of plot so I could start setting this fic up ready to add Book 4 onto the end... Yes, I'm going to do a fic to follow this based on Dawn of the New World (Puts fingers in ears to protect them from cheering induced deafness) And I'm going to keep you guessing about the Alurannai stuff I have planned for it just as much as I have in books 1, 2 & 3, heh heh.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 64: Return to the Base

-

"So you refuse to go back to Mizuho? Don't you want to be there when your uncle wakes up?"

Vayla watched as Mika shook her head, the Renegade handing her the exsphere they'd retrieved from the temple.

"No... If I were there I know he'd ask me to stay... And to be honest I don't think I'd be strong enough to say no." Mika's blue eyes were sad. "This is what's best for Mizuho and its people. If I were around it would only complicate things for them with regards to the Kingdom of Tethe'alla... Tell him that I miss him, and that no matter how far apart we are my heart will always be by his side."

The charcoal haired half-elf walked away, heading to the nearby Skimmer and getting on board, the group watching her go as Vayla sighed.

"Somehow I knew she'd do this... She doesn't want to cause trouble for her uncle, even though not seeing her hurts both of them." She turned to the group. "Well, this is where I say farewell again. You're to return to the Flanoir Base with her and wait there until we locate Collette. There's no sense in you wandering around or heading to any other temples until then, since I know you'll want to rescue her yourselves once we find her. I'll go to Mizuho and cure the Chief, before returning to Nae Shiol."

Lloyd frowned.

"Nae Shiol? Why there and not Nae Shiu?"

Vayla smiled.

"Because it's closer to Heimdall and a lot of the rarer herbs I need, to make the medicines I'm supposed to be helping to stockpile. The Elves are helping out as the promised us just before the incident at Andorei Wrau. It's meant getting my hands on some herbs I've not had access to for four thousand years. One of which, I might add, I've used in the medicine to help Chief Iggaguri recover faster once his consciousness and body are reunited. Remember, Lloyd, while we intend to do everything to avoid it, we still need to prepare for war should it happen. We already have the advantage of strength against Cruxis, but need to make sure we also have the advantage of supplies. When you get to the base make sure to tell Yuan to expect a delivery soon."

The group's half-elven healer came forward, stopping just short of Vayla.

"We'll make sure he knows... Safe trip Vayla; may the Spirits watch over you."

Vayla smiled at Raine, before spreading her violet wings and taking flight.

"Same to all of you. Until fate has us cross paths again, take care."

She flew away, the group watching her go from beneath a now cloudless sky before they boarded the Skimmer to make the journey to the frozen shores of the Flanoirian Archipelago.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Shouts echoed back and forth through the vaulted cavern, technicians rushing to their stations from where the docking clamps that would lift the Skimmer from the water into the waiting dry dock were operated. While it hadn't received much use since taken from storage, it was going to be given a full overhaul while the opportunity to do so was available. As for the passengers, they were now making their way through the Flanoir Base, three of them somewhat awed by the sheer scale of the Renegade's operation.

Mika leading them through the metal lined hallways of the facility, Regal observed the surroundings with surprise.

"Such advanced levels of magitechnology... How is it possible to run all this in such poor mana conditions? Tethe'alla has the knowledge to build all this, but the energy requirements were too great for such a project to function."

The Arshis walking next to him answered, since Regal and Presea were now both in possession of receiver crystals.

**You're thinking in terms of **_**human**_** designed magitechnology... The stuff used by the Renegades is of Alurannai designs, and has far greater mana efficiency than any of the stuff that Tethe'alla makes. If you were to compare this facility to an equivalent one built by Tethe'alla, this one uses maybe a hundredth of the mana since most of the internal equipment runs on good old mundane electricity made using a mana crystal fired reactor in the heart of the structure. The Alurannai are the ones who supply the mana crystals used in it.**

While Regal thought this over, Presea tilted her head enquiringly.

"Just how _much_ do the Renegades depend on the Alurannai?"

Mika looked back.

"This whole facility, and the other like it in Sylvarant, would just collapse without them. The Renegades would quickly starve without the supplies they give us, and even if we had enough food the lack of medicines would leave us crippled in very little time at all. It was quite a shock for everyone in the organisation when Lord Yuan told us where it was all really coming from ten years ago; although as Third _I_ already knew. The only reason we can do what we do is because the Alurannai are our allies, though given that Inartu Kratos is Lord Yuan's unofficial second in command, it's a given fact around here that this organisation is an established side branch of the Alurannai's own operations around the two worlds."

Zelos raised an eyebrow.

"Man, I knew the Alurannai were up to some sneaky stuff against Cruxis, but I had no idea they were so big time. I just thought it was people like Vayla going around in small groups making things difficult for those bastards, but this is in a completely different league..."

Lloyd glanced at him sidelong.

"The Renegades aren't just about making things difficult for Cruxis, the organisation was also founded to provide an infrastructure which can be used as a base for picking up the pieces after Cruxis is gone. Getting rid of them and reuniting the two worlds is just the start, there'll be a heck of a lot of rebuilding to do after all this is over, and the Renegades will be right on the frontlines of that."

The red headed Chosen mulled over this.

"That makes sense, I guess. It just surprised me that's all."

Their guide stopped beside a door, turning to look back at them as a wry grin tugged at her mouth.

"Then be prepared for further surprises, because this organisation and those within it are full of them." She pressed a button on a panel next to the door. "Third Mika reporting. I've brought Lloyd, the others, and his three new companions with me."

The sliding metal panels of the door parted, a male and fairly young sounding voice coming from within the room.

"Come in then and get yourself settled."

He sounded a little annoyed, but Mika just grinned as she whispered.

"He's just cranky because he never gets to do any of the field work, he just spends all his time stuck doing paperwork."

The voice came through the open door again.

"While I agree with the gist of your statement, Hanamori Mika, I object to being called 'cranky'."

The Renegade woman rolled her eyes as she led the group into the office, sighing as she stopped in front of the large wooden desk and the turquoise haired man sat behind it.

"I think I've been out too long... I forgot how good your hearing is."

The man at the desk gestured for everyone present to sit on one of the chairs set in a line ready for them, the Protozoans and Spirits in the group heading to the far corner and the large cushions and perch set there for guests such as themselves.

He tapped the surface of his desk, as with storm grey eyes he regarded the three new faces before him.

"So... Zelos Wilder, Presea Combatir, and Regal, who as yet has not spoken of the rest of his name... I've received word from Vayla about you three now being part of the Geas of Silence, and so I welcome you to the Flanoir Renegade Base. I am Yuan Azlarsha, one of the Nine Companions, and leader of this organisation."

Presea blinked.

"Wait, if you're one of the Nine Companions that would make you over four thousand years old..."

The lightning mage gave her a small smile.

"Five thousand and three to be precise. Have Lloyd and Sheena not told you about Crystal Users?"

Sheena looked a little embarrassed.

"Well, Lloyd told me Presea met Sanaro and Gaea back in Meltokio, although she won't remember much of it, and Zelos knows Sanaro well, but I guess we just forgot to really mention it."

Yuan sighed, before looking at the three newest members again.

"To cut a long story short, Crystal Users are people who have Cruxis Crystals, 'angels' as you were, who are _not_ a part of Cruxis. There are around three thousand of us in all, and most are far older than me. The Alurannai were the ones who gave us our Crystals, and now in these dark times we help them; for in our pasts all of us sought out Crystals for the sake of helping others, and that is why we do what we are doing." He stood up, calling forth his violet wings to show that he truly was an 'angel'. "Now, as you've been cramped onto my Skimmer, as spacious as it is, for the last month I suggest you take the time to stretch your legs and then to get some rest. I'll have rooms prepared for all of you... Lloyd, Sheena, if you two would stay we need to talk."

It was a clear dismissal, and with that all but the alurannai pair left the room; the door closing behind them.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Blue green eyes flitted from one passing Renegade to another, their owner's expression thoughtful.

"There are so many half-elves here, and humans too, and even a couple of pureblood elves... I'd never have thought you'd see them working together like this."

Raine glanced at him from her position opposite, the human and half-elven members of the group currently sat in the main canteen of the base with the chatter and bustle of the base occupants filling the room around them.

"Everyone here is a follower of the Way of the Forces, the ancient ways that died out among humans beneath the rising suspicions and tensions between them. Only the Elves and the Offspring Races kept to those ways after the founding in ages past of the three Human Nations, but now in these dark times some humans and half-elves have returned to those ways. Ways in which all life is respected, and is acknowledge to have the right to exist in peace. You won't find _any_ discrimination here, and any such from you won't go down well. You won't be kicked out of here for it, but your stay would become rather uncomfortable."

Setting his cup down beside his plate, Regal looked at her.

"You need not fear such from me. It has always disgusted me how my fellow humans could treat half-elves so horribly."

Presea nodded.

"I'm fine with them too... The people of Ozette were afraid of me, and it makes me sad. I think this is what it must be like to be a half-elf and I would never wish it on anyone."

All eyes now turned to Zelos, who leaned away from them for a moment.

"Hey hey hey, don't stare at me like that... My aunt would have skinned me alive if she ever caught me discriminating against Half-elves."

Regal frowned.

"I wasn't aware you'd had contact with any of your father's relatives... I always thought the branches of the Mana Lineage were kept apart to protect them."

Zelos averted his eyes, before getting up and leaving, his voice clipped.

"Sometimes family aren't always related by blood..."

The sudden switch from the confident womaniser to solemn man shocked those at the table, several of them stopping eating to watch him go.

Genis set down his fork.

"Whoa, I've never seen him do _that_ before. He's always joking around or making wise cracks, that didn't seem like him at all."

Raine's expression was thoughtful.

"Remember how we were so wary of trusting Zelos, but Lloyd trusted him right from the start... I think we just caught a glimpse of the Zelos that he knows."

Her brother looked again to the door Zelos had left through.

"...Up until now I still thought he was a bit of a jerk, but now I guess I'm not so sure. Maybe I should go easy on him from now on instead of bugging him all the time."

Raine got up, picking up her plate along with Zelos' abandoned one.

"It's like he said back then. He is a book that hides behind a false cover, to prevent the real him from getting burned..."

And with that she walked off, taking the plates she held to the trays waiting for such near one of the doors and leaving those still sat at the table with a lot to think about.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"You alright, Zelos?"

The red head turned from where he stood beside a rail on an upper walkway in the Skimmer Dock. The dock was quiet now, being late at night most of the technicians were in their quarters sleeping. He'd just had too much on his mind to sleep.

He sighed as Lloyd walked over to lean on the rail beside him.

"I snapped at the others earlier, that's all. Something Regal said reminded me about how little contact I've had with any of my blood relatives. I haven't even set eyes on my sister for almost six years... I miss her, and at times like this I miss Hiria too."

Lloyd sighed as well.

"Just like how I miss my parents. I've seen my myrta only once since I was five, and that was nearly two years ago now, and my ata had to leave the group just before we came over here to Tethe'alla. I asked Vayla how he was when she was with us, but she couldn't tell me much. Turns out he's just putting an odd appearance in now and then with a jiisumura to let us know he's fine, and that's it. I didn't even get a message from him for my birthday, though at least Vayla was with us then for Sheena, not that we celebrated it. Poor Genis, we even forgot his when we were heading to help Presea before that. He's fifteen now and I'm not even sure he realises it."

Zelos let out a half laugh.

"Mine got sidelined too, it was a week before yours. If I'd been in Meltokio there would have been a huge party, and I'd have had to spend most of the day being polite to a bunch of the gilded vultures from the Noble Classes. It's been like that every year since I was eight... It was nice just to have the day to myself for a change." He glanced sidelong at Lloyd. "If you don't mind my asking, when is it Collette's birthday?"

Lloyd closed his eyes, his expression pained.

"Just over two months from now... She'll be nineteen, a birthday she'd never thought she'd live to see, and right now it's one I have no idea if she really will..."

The Tethe'allan Chosen's expression became equally grim, before he put on a smile and patted Lloyd on the shoulder.

"Then we'll just have to trust that Vayla was right about Rodyle wanting a Cruxis Crystal. If he does then I'm sure the Alurannai will find out where she is soon."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Angsty chapter this one, but then it can't help but be gloomy with Collette being missing :(**


	65. Presence of Guilt

**Alaia Skyhawk: Another major Tethe'alla change here. The two visits with Alicia stuff in them from the game are going to be merged into one. Also I've worked one of my Skits into this chapter... lol, poor Zelos XD**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 65: Presence of Guilt

-

The wind flew past them, the crystal whine of several Rhieard engines joining the sound of the flowing air as the clouds slid past below them. They'd only stayed at the base for three days before deciding to make this trip, Presea's request being one they weren't going to refuse since right now there was nothing else they could do but hang around with the Renegades.

Glancing over to the large red and silver craft carrying Noishe, the rose haired girl called out to its pilot as a shore-side city came into view through a gap in the clouds.

"Thank you again, Lloyd, for agreeing to help me look for my sister."

The young Nartu turned his head, Sheena smiling from her place sat behind him.

"Don't mention it. It's something useful to do and it gets us out of the base. With only Mika and Yuan there right now, and all mine and Sheena's other Renegade friends out on fieldwork, there wasn't much to keep us from brooding over Collette. She'd want us to do this with this time, I know she would."

He shifted his grip on the Red Hawk's controls, sending it into a slow downward spiral as the rest of the group did likewise with their own vehicles. Presea was managing alright despite having had so little time to practice, as was Zelos who was flying a two-man version. Regal was riding with the Chosen, his handcuffs, while not making piloting impossible, made it difficult enough that he'd agreed it was safer for him to ride pillion behind someone else.

Far below them, as the descended beneath the clouds, the pristine beaches and wide open plazas Altamira was known for became clear to see; several ships with tall masts also visible at the port to be found at the far southern end. Seeing that city brought hope to Presea's eyes, and from the craft descending behind hers Regal remained even more silent that usual. They landed not that far from the city entrance, picking a spot where the surrounding hills would hide them as they made their final glide down to land. Slim landing gears unfolded from compartments in the wings and noses of the crafts, the small wheels upon them settling to the grass and allowing the Rhieards to come to a safe stop.

The group set about packing them away, half going into Lloyd's ver and half into Sheena's. With that they began the final walk to the city, which all told was about two miles away from where they'd landed. The day was growing late, and they were all looking forward to spending a night in one of Altamira's famous hotels after spending ten hours a day, for four days, sat at the controls of the Rhieards.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"Wow, this place is busier than I expected."

Lloyd looked around the main plaza of the city in surprise, taking in the sight of more than a few obvious tourists. Sheena came up beside him, having been here before.

"Most of the people here are from the merchant class and upwards; people with money and time to waste basically. It doesn't matter to them that the mana has declined, not since they can afford to pay for other means of getting about. Though at least we know from Gaea back in Meltokio that the Lezareno Company is being fair to those that are poorer, keeping prices for the ships they own low, and preventing the rich from monopolising them. They say it was the last thing the company president ordered before he went missing, though according to announcements by the Vice CEO he's on an extended vacation due to stress."

After directing a discreet glance at the blue haired man trailing at the back of the group, Zelos came forward and draped an arm over Sheena's shoulders.

"He's quite the mystery, and they say even Mizuho only knows him by his family name Bryant. Is that true?"

A dark glare was directed at him.

"I'll answer the question since it was a valid one... No, Mizuho don't know the guy's first name, since his father was big on only those of the Noble Class knowing it and being able to call him by it. Something which I know that you know... Now if you don't remove your arm from my shoulders, I will rip it from yours..."

Zelos hastily lifted his arm and backed away.

"Whoa, take it easy, Sheena!"

She continued to glare.

"I don't see why I should since you just deliberately rubbed my nose in the fact that you know President Bryant's first name and the people of Mizuho don't; and not only that but that you're deliberately withholding it."

As Zelos looked anywhere but at the alurannai girl, Presea frowned thoughtfully.

"Sheena, speaking of names, I have a question... What's your real name? I'm curious since Vice Chief Tiga said you could use it back when we were in Mizuho."

Sheena's glare faded as she turned to the rose haired girl.

"Yeah, that was really nice of him. It's his way of saying I can be who I was born as and still be a part of Mizuho. It means a lot to me that he would say that."

Presea tilted her head.

"Then why haven't you started using your real name?"

Sheena sighed.

"I've decided not to until all this is over. That way people won't be left wondering whether to call me Sheena Fujibayashi or Alysii Targathyr."

That moment Zelos' interest was piqued.

"Is that your real name?" He put on one of his notorious smiles. "Such a beautiful name for such a beautiful hunny."

Sheena regarded him flatly in silence, as Presea thought the name over and smiled.

"I like it, it suits you... What does it mean?"

Lloyd joined the conversation.

"It's short for 'Alyine Siinar', which means 'Quiet Heart'."

Sheena smile returned.

"Yeah."

Zelos leaned in close to her, his manner deliberately flirting.

"Oh Quiet Heart! You've stolen _my_ heart!"

The next second he was flat on the floor, twitching, while Sheena stood stock still with her arm still held out from having punched him.

"How many 'reality checks' do I have to give you, Zelos, before you realise that hitting on me is a waste of time..."

Genis came over, peering down at the man on the floor.

"Um, Sheena... I _don't_ think he can hear you..."

Lloyd peered down as well.

"Uhh, you hit him kinda hard... I don't think he's going to get up any time soon."

Sheena rolled her eyes, before reaching down and slinging the comatose Chosen over her shoulder.

"Fine, I knocked him out so I'll carry him to the hotel... But if he wakes up along the way and does something 'funny', he's going to get another introduction to Mr Pavement."

She stalked off, the sight of such a slim built girl carrying a guy six inches taller than her without breaking a sweat causing several bystanders to stop and stare.

Lloyd hurried after her, the rest of the group following.

"I think we'd better catch up to her and have Regal carry Zelos. At least if _he_ does it no one will think anything of it."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The hotel had been spacious, elegant, and had held a number of guests who stared at the group walking through the uppermost floor of the building with a certain degree of dismay. The group may have left the Spirits and Protozoans back at the Renegade Base, but that still didn't mean they looked like the usual upmarket clientele. It didn't help either that a blanket wrapped Zelos, kept so to prevent anyone from recognising him, was being carried at the back of the group by Regal; the man's face barely visible from where he fought to see around a flap of the cover which kept dropping over his eyes.

Said Chosen had woken up not too long after that, the group having settled themselves in the penthouse suit they'd hired using the generous allowance Yuan had given them for the purpose. Raine had then had to cast several healing spells on him, both to heal the bruises and the concussion Sheena had given him. He'd remained rather quiet after that, probably not wanting to risk getting another pounding from the girl. He hadn't even spoken much this morning, remaining silent through breakfast and only giving the most cursory of nods in agreement after Regal had asked to remain at the hotel so as not to have his shackles draw unwanted attention in town. The group had left after that, heading at Regal's suggestion to the HQ of the Lezareno Company. He'd even told them to seek out a man called George, saying he'd heard the man was a close aide of the Bryant Family and so might know of any long serving staff they had in their service.

The following ride on the Elemental Railway, after walking almost half a mile through tourist packed streets, was a welcome break and also entranced a certain fifteen year old mage. The open topped cars almost empty besides the group, they enjoyed the warm breeze as Genis' murmured wonderings over why the water covering the tracks didn't interfere with the running of the train over them reached their ears. When the train stopped at the end of the line, the group were suitably impressed by the size of the building they'd been directed to.

Raine looked surprised.

"I know you said this company was big, Sheena, but I never realised they were _this_ big."

The alurannai girl shrugged.

"They handle most of the manufacture of major magitechnology and that of components used in smaller examples. Lezareno also owns almost every mine on the Rymett'riron Continent to the south, meaning they can also build everything much cheaper since they cut out the middle man. No other company can really compete with them, but as you know the company is fair and keeps all their prices reasonable even though with their near monopoly they could charge as much as they liked.

The group looked up again at the thirty storey tower of metal and glass, Lloyd then taking the initiative and heading for the entrance.

"Well as great as the company looks and sounds, we're here for a reason. Let's go find that 'George' Regal said we should speak to."

The group did as he suggested, the glass double doors closing behind them just as the next train reached the HQ, a blue haired man getting off before heading to and stopping outside the doors. He watched as Lloyd spoke to the clerk at the reception desk, ducking to the side out of sight when a minute or so later an elderly man in a suit emerged from one of the elevators located at the back of the entrance hall.

Inside that man stopped in shock as he set eyes on Presea.

"…Alicia! Is it really you?"

Presea stared in shock.

"You…know Alicia?!"

The man paused, still staring back.

"What? Wait, then who?"

The rose haired girl spoke hesitantly.

"Alicia is my…sister. I came here looking for her, since I've not heard from her for a long time. I was... ill... so I never got the chance to."

Raine regarded him speculatively.

"Are you George? We asked the clerk and they said he would be down in a minute. We were told you seek you out by a friend of ours, called Regal."

The man seemed startled, but recovered after a moment.

"Ohh…I see. Ah, of course… Yes, I am George... And I regret to tell you that Alicia passed away quite some time ago."

The entire group jerked, Presea taking a step forward, her expression full of denial.

"…Passed away?! But how..."

Lloyd stepped up beside her, placing his hands on her shoulders before looking at George.

"What happened?"

George looked around the reception hall, gesturing for them to follow him to one of the elevators. As soon as everyone was inside he selected the very top floor and then began to explain.

"Alicia came to work in the service of the noble Bryant family, and served them for several years, but then she was caught up in an unfortunate incident that resulted in her death."

Sheena frowned.

"Tell us what happened, stop beating around the bush."

The old man shook his head.

"I dare not speak of the details. Please forgive me, though I _can_ show you Alicia's grave. It lies in the Sky Terrace of this building; I'll show you to it."

The elevator came to a stop, the group stepping out and following a short hallway out into a vast rooftop garden. The garden was mostly shrubs, a few of them being of the flowering type, interwoven with artificial streams and paths which crossed the former here and there with small bridges. George led them to the garden's centre, stopping at the edge of a small grassy area which held an engraved stone at its far end.

Presea walked up to it, her eyes moving over the name carved into it.

"Alicia…what happened to you?"

Lloyd came up beside her, his eyes widening when he spotted a small pale blue sphere set just below the name.

"Hey, there's an exsphere embedded here!"

The girl beside him began to reach towards it.

"...Why is there an exsphere?"

The stone blazed, a ghostly image of a girl appearing in the air before it. She gazed at the stunned girl before her, blue eyes holding a hint of joy beneath her short pink hair.

"Presea…sis! It's you, isn't it?"

Presea stared in shock.

"Alicia?!"

The spectre smiled.

"I'm so happy I can see you again before I disappear…"

Her sister remained silent for a moment, confused, before speaking again.

"What's going on? Are you still alive?"

Alicia shook her head, her expression full of sorrow.

"I…I exist only in the exsphere. Soon, even my consciousness will be gone. The exsphere killed my body and absorbed my consciousness."

Presea bit her lip, her hand moving to the stone at the base of her throat.

"…I can't believe you've become a victim of the Exsphere as well…"

Alicia lowered her eyes.

"I did... I've always wondered since then if the same happening to you was the reason my letters were never answered." She looked up again, her expression full of entreaty. "Presea, please grant me my last request. Before I disappear…please find my master. Please find Master Bryant! I must speak with him!"

Footsteps sounded behind them, a figure stepping out from where he'd hidden after following the group up to the terrace.

Regal gazed at her.

"I am already here... Alicia..."

The entire group turned to face him, George hurrying to his side.

"Master Regal, what are you doing here?"

Regal sighed.

"It was just the right time for it. I needed to come back here, for Presea's sake." He turned to the group. "My name is Regal Bryant. I was granted the title of Duke by His Highness, and I am also the president of Lezareno Company." He glanced at Zelos." Although, it would seem that the Chosen already knows me."

Zelos, who was suddenly on the receiving end of several glares, grimaced before admitting it.

"I saw him at one of the Princess' birthday parties a long time ago... He had a personal servant with him, a young girl with pink hair. I'd guess she was probably Alicia."

Behind them, Alicia's spectre nodded.

"Yes, I remember that day. It was the first time I'd ever been at a formal party, and Regal was worried it would be too much work for me." She turned her gaze to the shackled man. "Regal... I'm so happy to see you again before I disappear…"

He walked over, stopping just before her image, his expression full of pain.

"I'm sorry. Even after death, you still suffer…"

She shook her head.

"It's all right. It's not your fault. You never wanted that to happen, but there was nothing you could have done to change it."

Presea turned to her, confused.

"Alicia…what do you mean?"

It wasn't Alicia who answered; it was the man beside her.

"...Alicia and I were in love."

George came forward, his eyes full of regret.

"Then I, his servant, interfered…and forced them apart."

Regal closed his eyes.

"Alicia was taken from Altamira by Vharley. He wanted to use her in an exsphere experiment."

Lloyd's expression turned to dread.

"Was he…trying to create Cruxis Crystals?"

The convict nodded.

"It seems so... but the experiment failed..."

Alicia averted her eyes.

"The experiment twisted my body and turned me into a monster... Master Regal killed me in order to save me. It was the only way." She looked again at Regal. "I'm so glad I got to see you again in the end. I have no regrets, now. So please, Regal, stop punishing yourself."

His eyes were filled with remorse and guilt.

"Alicia…but with my own hands, I…"

She reached out, her gauzy hand just brushing his cheek.

"I will disappear very soon. So please, don't leave me anything to worry about. You don't need those shackles, you've suffered enough."

He clenched his fists, the metal bands binding his wrists creaking.

"…I took the life of the one I love. These are the symbol of my crime, as well as my punishment."

She shook her head.

"You don't _need_ that punishment anymore. Please, Regal…"

He fell silent, Lloyd placing a hand on his arm.

"I don't know if the decision you made was correct, but I don't think she wants you to punish yourself and live the way you have."

The convict turned to her.

"…Is that true?"

She nodded.

"…Yes. It's just as he says."

His fists remained clenched for a moment, before relaxing.

"…All right. But I will never use these hands as tools of death. I swear that to you... To you and to Lloyd, and once we have defeated those who use exspheres to toy with people's lives, I shall remove these bonds."

Alicia smiled.

"Thank you, Regal." She turned to her sister, who had remained watching in stunned silence during the revelation of what had happened. "Presea…I think I can finally rest in peace. Please destroy the crystal before I am totally absorbed into the exsphere."

Presea took a step forward, her eyes questioning as her voice pleaded.

"Why? Can't you stay like you are now?"

Her sister shook her head.

"If I stay like this, I will live on forever. An isolated consciousness, unable to even speak, existing for eternity… It would be true hell…"

Lloyd gripped the hilt of one of his swords.

"…Presea, Regal, what do we do?"

The convict hesitated, before speaking as a tear escaped to run down his cheek.

"Please, set her free..."

Presea also began to cry.

"…Yes. Goodbye, Alicia..."

Alicia looked between the two of them, her gaze settling on her sister.

"Thank you... Presea, please forgive Master Regal. Please..."

She vanished, the glow of the exsphere fading away before Lloyd drew a sword and struck it. The sphere shattered, fragments of crystal falling to vanish from sight among the blades of grass.

Regal, looked at the group.

"I'm sorry I never said anything about this until now... I'm a criminal."

George spoke as well.

"Master Regal confessed to killing Alicia, and went to prison on his own will."

The blue haired man explained further.

"While I was in prison, the Pope promised to arrest Vharley in exchange for kidnapping Colette. I believed him and agreed to do it."

Raine's eyes widened as she put the pieces together.

"So that's why you were after us?"

He nodded.

"Yes… Please, I ask you to postpone my final judgment until we defeat Cruxis…and stop them from using exspheres to toy with people's lives."

Lloyd placed a hand on his shoulder, all but Presea nodding in agreement as he spoke.

"Of course! We'll work together to defeat them and restore the Giant Tree!"

Genis walked over to the grieving girl.

"Are you okay with that, Presea?"

She wiped the tears from her face, her eyes holding a trace of anger.

"…Vharley was responsible for Alicia's death, just as he was part of what happened to Daddy, and to me." She turned and looked at Regal. "I don't blame you for what happened, but I..."

He lowered his gaze.

"…I'm sorry."

She looked away.

"It was Alicia's last request, so…I won't say a word about it anymore."

In the silence that followed, Lloyd cleared his throat.

"Now might be a good time to head back to the hotel. We can rest for today and head back to the base in the morning."

"_Nartu Lloyd!_" He spun, looking up just in time to see an alurannai woman, in the clothing of a jiisumura, come plummeting out of the sky to land beside him. She didn't give him the chance to speak. "My Lord! _We've found Collette!_"

The entire group spun to face her, Lloyd speaking for them all.

"Tell us where! We leave right now!"

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Well I hope I pulled off merging those scenes together.**


	66. Dragon's Nest

**Alaia Skyhawk: WOOT! Finished ToS2 in 29 hours over three days :D That game is AWESOME! (Who cares if 11 hours of it are voiced cutscenes and skits, they're great). I have SO many ideas for book four now, I can't wait to get stuck into it once I finish Path!**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 66: Dragon's Nest

-

As just the afternoon before, the resonance of Rhieard engines surrounded them along with the sound of the wind, the group in the company of twenty alurannai wearing the steel grey retas of those from their people's small martial force. The group had passed through the Sentinel close to the city of Altamira, coming out at another which stood atop high cliffs overlooking the sea. They were climbing now, soaring upwards towards the immense floating rock high above.

One of the alurannai guards glided in beside Lloyd and Sheena, who had abandoned using their Rhieard for now instead flying on their own wings.

"Nartu Lloyd, the dragon's nest is a dangerous place. It is the sole nesting ground of the Sky Dragons in Tethe'alla, and they are _very_ protective of it. Getting close to it will be difficult, and getting out again even more so."

The young prince reached out with his mind, conveying his orders to the alurannai present.

**Half of you set up a combined song shield when we get close, and the rest of you split up into two small coteries. Don't attack the dragons directly if you don't have to, just warn them off with close shots for as long as you can.**

The response from them all was immediate.

**Yes, My Lord!**

The wind of their passage making normal speech impossible, Raine reached out using her receiver crystal.

_/Where exactly is Collette?/_

The guard glanced over to the healer on her Rhieard.

**Right in the centre at the top of the nest. The area is riddled with traps from what the scouts saw; so it seems that Rodyle is able to freely move around the nest without the dragons attacking him... Probably due to him having tamed so many of them. If he came in with a group of them, the wild ones here would leave him alone.**

Genis grumbled, though it was lost to the wind.

_/Great... So why can't the Alurannai go in here that easily? I'd have thought the dragons here would know you're stronger than them./_

The guard grimaced.

**They used to, but with the Alurannai having had to stay out of sight for so long we weren't able to maintain contact with the dragons here and teach them to keep their distance from us. It will take a few centuries at least to renew the old respect, which is obviously something we don't have time for in this situation.**

The teenage half-elf shook his head.

_/Man, just our luck./_

The guards flying around them shifted positions, ten of them spacing themselves out around the cluster of five Rhieards. A short sung phrase later and a large golden sphere surrounded the rescuers, the remaining ten guards splitting into two groups flanking the vehicles. The reason became quickly obvious as an ear splitting chorus of shrieks filled the air.

Sheena looked ahead.

**We've been spotted. Here they come.**

The two coteries' members took up arrow formation, flying in a 'V' behind the main caster for each. Those two casters began to draw mana from those behind them, that energy crackling around them as their eyes quickly located each of the dozen dragons heading for them and fixing them in their minds as they took aim.

**Eternal zephyr... Threads of endless clarity come to our aid. Hold fast to the ever changing path we command... WIND WEAVE!**

The air outside the shield began to twist, visible currents forming into strands of air that shot towards the dragons. At the casters' commands the winds whipped erratically around the creatures, throwing them off balance and forcing them to retreat or fall out of the sky.

Lloyd glanced at the guards. While still a novice at such spells himself, he knew a sustained cast like this wouldn't take long to tire the coteries in the current mana conditions. Frowning he muttered under his breath, unheard among the dragon roars.

"Times like this make me wish I could have made pacts with the other Sylvarant Spirits than Undine... Sylph would have been a big help right now..." He began scanning the surface of the rapidly approaching mass of rock, taking in the maze of jagged spires that rose from its surface. **Do we fly over those spires? I'm not sure it's a good idea to take the Rhieards in among them.**

One of the guards holding the shield answered.

**We'll have to go through them, the air above the nest it too unpredictable for it to be safe. Even an alurannai could be caught by errant gust up there and slammed down onto the nest, no matter how good a flier they are. The Wind Weave replicates those conditions, which the dragons instinctively avoid. They live here and even **_**they**_** won't go up there, that's how bad the winds are.**

Dragons continuing to come at them only to be driven back by said weave, Zelos swallowed nervously.

_/Umm... I'm not too sure the five of us are up to any fancy flying with these things./_

Regal nodded, his 'voice' flickering a little as he spoke, still getting used to using his receiver crystal.

_/Zelos is right. Genis and Raine will do better as they've had more practice, but him, Presea, and I are likely to end up becoming a liability in there./_

Raine snorted.

_/Genis and I only have two weeks more practice than you three. I hardly think that is going to help us much./_

Lloyd called out, silencing them.

**Enough of the chat. If you think you're going to have trouble then I think keeping your mind on flying rather than talking would be best.**

No one disagreed, all eyes turning to the rocks ahead. No sooner than they had passed within them that the first of the warned of traps triggered. A weighted net shot across in front of them, drawing startled yells from everyone as the five flying the Rhieards were forced to swerve violently, Raine's almost skimming the net. Another net triggered, again forcing the vehicles' pilots to take evasive action, Regal and Zelos almost colliding with each other, the latter having to duck his head as the engine of other's came within inches of hitting him. Before they'd even had the chance to recover, yet another net was launched...

Genis exclaimed in horror as his attempt to avoid it went wrong, sending his Rhieard into an out of control spin. The next second it disappeared from under him, as arms wrapped around his waste and carried him to safety.

"Huh?!"

Lloyd chuckled.

**Best friends don't let theirs go splat.** He called out to the alurannai with him. **Sheena and three others, put the Rhieards in your vers and carry them!**

Three guards split off from the coterie on the left, the remaining two joining the other while those three did as Lloyd had ordered. The nets that continued to cross their path no longer being a problem, the solution to it had created another one.

There was a resounding chime, and another, as the single remaining coterie couldn't spread the Wind Weave far enough fast enough to block all of the dragons that were attacking. Those that got through pounded the shield before being driven back, only to return as soon as the caster was forced to send the spell elsewhere. The chimes became more frequent, as the coterie began to visibly tire. As they continued to struggle, the effect of the multiple strikes on the song shield also began to take a toll on those maintaining it. The size began to decrease, as they moved closer to reduce the surface area in an attempt to keep it in place.

Zelos looked distinctly nervous.

_/This does _not_ look good.../_

Lloyd looked over at him, before turning to gaze at the attacking dragons. After a moment's hesitation he tossed Genis in the direction of the guard carrying Presea.

**Hold him for me!**

His arms now free, Lloyd reached for his ver...

'---'-'-'-''---'--'-'-'-'--'-'-'-'--'-'-'-'-'-'

"What are these?"

Lloyd regarded the set of objects with puzzlement, as Kratos held them out to him.

The man placed them in his son's hand.

"It's risky giving you these, but I want you to have them with you just in case... Promise me you will never use these unless you have to. For a member of the Nartana as young as you to trigger these is dangerous, but given the dangers you might face I see no reason to let that danger stop me giving you these..." He placed a hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "Promise me you will only risk using these if your life is already in grave danger..."

'---'-'-'-''---'--'-'-'-'--'-'-'-'--'-'-'-'-'-'

He brought a set of eight matched iridescent crystals from his ver, each as long as his forearm and as thick as a finger. He threw them to eight of those holding the shield.

**Take up positions!**

The eight moved, recognising what they'd been given and forming two staggered rings of three around the group, the other two moving to fore and aft. As they did this Lloyd barrel-rolled to the exact centre, closing his eyes before singing with the strange voice that he'd accidentally used for a moment back at the Tower of Mana so long ago... The 'voice' that Vayla had said was dangerous for him to use... White light began to gather around him, blazing so as to be impossible to look at before it sprayed outwards like a starburst and struck the eight crystals he'd handed out. The crystals flared, a span of golden light arching between them until it formed a solid sphere anchored to their outward held tips. The song shield vanished, the next dragon to attack striking the new shield, but instead of simply being blocked the new shield physically blasted it backwards to slam into one of the rock spires.

Zelos blinked.

_/...Whoa! Lloyd, how the hell did you do that? ./_

Lloyd didn't answer, the young Nartu instead dropping downwards to be caught by one of the two alurannai no longer involved in holding the shield.

The woman answered for him, carrying the disorientated youth in her arms.

**Those crystals are Shield Crystals, like those we use around our settlements. He's raised a miniature version of the Great Shield of Aluran; only a member of the Nartana can cast it, and once raised **_**nothing**_** can penetrate it until the supply of mana stored in the crystals runs out.**

Raine looked as though she didn't know whether to be relieved or concerned.

_/And how long will crystals that size last? ./_

The alurannai woman frowned.

**I can't say for sure. Unlike the large ones, it's impossible to get an accurate reading of stored mana in crystals this small. The only one who could tell us is the one who made them.**

Lloyd stirred, his voice groggy in their minds.

**Ata made them... He said together they had nine thousand threga of mana in them...**

The woman looked down at him, before her eyes moved to check the size of the shield and she clearly began to make a mental calculation. Her frown deepened.

**And Lloyd dumped about that much in himself when he triggered them. It's going to last about half an hour.** She glanced at the other freed shield holder and also at the coterie and those holding the non-fliers. **Everyone divide up, two to the crystals at the sides and three to fore and aft. Put all the mana you can generate into them! We need to keep it going as long as we can.**

The guards did as was asked, the crystals not moving in relation to one another even when six of the adult alurannai with passengers having to crowd against others to get a hand on the surface of the stones. The shield was up, and it looked like this one couldn't be made smaller. The rescue team ignored the nets now, the shield ripping them to shreds when it touched them.

Regal, from his position now face to face with the barrier shielding them from the onslaught of dragons, craned his neck to look at the alurannai woman who had Lloyd.

_/I'm guessing that 'threga' is a unit to measure an amount of mana... With the twenty of you adults adding mana, how much time does that give us? ./_

She looked concerned.

**Right now there's eighteen thousand threga in the crystals, and a shield this size uses about six hundred of those per minute, or ten per second. An adult alurannai can, in the short term, generate up to ten threga per minute; but we're all tired so our best right now is only about five per minute. That's one hundred threga per minute between us... It only buys us five minutes of extra shield time...**

Genis began to splutter.

_/What?! ./_

Raine seemed stunned, although for a different reason.

_/Wait, you said the adult max rate is ten threga per minute, but that Lloyd dumped _nine thousand_ into the crystals in just a couple of seconds! How is that even possible? What he just did would take nearly thirty thousand alurannai to do in the same amount of time! ./_

The woman looked at the still groggy youth in her arms.

**The Nartana are special, and can if they must generate far more mana than a normal alurannai for short periods of time. The means of doing it are risky for one as young as Lloyd, it's even risky for an adult of the Nartana, though given the circumstances his father must have given him the crystals and told that he should only use them if his life were already in grave peril. We need to keep the shield up as long as we can, because once it runs out of power Lloyd will have no choice but to begin using that technique again or we all will likely die. We're close to the top of the nest now, so hopefully we'll be out of here before that becomes necessary.**

Lloyd twitched.

**Can the two of you stop talking... I have a headache already without you making it worse.**

The half-elven woman fell silent, although she continued to look very unhappy. No one uttered a word, not even as the minutes crept past agonisingly until at long last the top of the nest came into view.

There she was, a figure in white with hair of gold tethered by chains to a circle carved into the stone. Dragons wearing bridles circled it, keeping the wild ones away from the trapped Chosen. The group descended, Lloyd opening a small hole in the shield so that Sheena and the other four alurannai carrying Genis and the others could get out. He stayed put in the hands of the female guard, the woman refusing to let him leave the safety of the shield.

It was manoeuvred so that it hung directly above Collette, as close as they could get it, the five guards returning to it to resume adding mana while the three humans and two half-elves raced to Collette.

She heard them coming, getting to her feet amid clinking chains with fear on her face.

"…No, stay away! It's a trap!"

A device to her left glowed, an image appearing before them. Rodyle sneered at them, the axe wielder in the group drawing her axe and taking at step towards him.

"You will pay for using me! Let Colette go!"

She moved as if to attack, Sheena stopping her.

"Leave it, he's just a projection. The coward didn't even have the guts to be here in person."

Rodyle laughed.

"Call me what you will, but _you_ are the ones who have walked right into my trap. It will be amusing to watch you all die along with that pathetic Chosen."

Collette looked desperate.

"Everyone, please, run! Get out of here!"

Rodyle cackled as he called out.

"Now, my darling pets! _Feed_ on the flesh of these wretched beings!"

The projection vanished, the tamed dragons above began to screech and circle down to attack as Collette struggled against her chains.

"Don't try to fight them! Run!" A circle beneath her glowed, the light flowing outwards and bringing the six on the ground to their knees. "No, it's too late!"

Zelos tried to get up, failing.

"Give me a break! I'll pass on dying, thanks!" He looked up to the alurannai in the shield. "A little help would be nice!"

Sheena managed to force herself to her feet, but could go no further.

"…I can't move!"

Genis called out.

"It's Colette! The mana from Colette's body is flowing out towards us! It's caused by that magic circle beneath her! Colette! Get out of there!"

Colette she yanked on the chains again.

"I can't…I'm chained to it and they're too strong. I…I can't move." She hung her head. "I'm sorry. I'm just a Chosen who couldn't even save her friends, much less the world. Maybe I'm just like Rodyle said, "a pathetic Chosen"

Presea also managed to get to her feet, somehow finding the strength to walk towards the trapped young woman.

"No, Colette, don't delude yourself! You haven't done anything wrong!"

She reached Collette, swinging her axe and striking the point where the chains binding the Chosen met the ground. They shattered in a blast of magic, the backlash throwing Presea away with a cry of pain.

Now free, Collette rushed forward and grabbed her, the alurannai who had brought the others down descending to grab them. Everyone fled into the safety of the shield, the attacking dragons at their heels.

The hole in the barrier slammed shut, several dragons blasted backwards as the alurannai holding the crystals carried it down the outside of the nest as fast as their wings would take them. The horde of tamed dragons pursued them, pounding on the shield again and again, their training keeping them attacking long after the amount of time where the wild ones had retreated. Diving after the plummeting shield as it cleared the edge of the nest and dropped straight down, their numbers slowly decreased as the shield took its toll and killed those that had taken too much damage from it. The pounding on the attackers was exacting its price though, as the whole sphere began to flicker.

Lloyd saw it, and tried to push himself free of the woman carrying him as the wind blasted past.

**Let me go... We'll die if I don't...**

Reluctantly she did as was asked, Lloyd moving to the centre of the shield on tired red wings. He began to sing again, much less intensely this time, the lines of mana connecting him to the crystals hair fine although they shone so bright as to be clearly visible regardless. The golden sphere solidified, growing even more intense as Lloyd increased its power to the point that any dragon that touched it was reduced to ash. They continued to fall, endless seconds ticking away as Lloyd continued to sing, his face becoming more strained and pale with each one that passed. Finally, as the last of the dragons died, he stopped and the shield died. The crystals fell away, tumbling towards the sea as the guard caught him again and they headed towards the coast of the huge island where the Sentinel they'd used to get here lay. They skimmed over the edge of it, passing over a trio of megaliths which stood in the centre of a larger ring of smaller stones. Raine went pale as they passed it, but said nothing as it disappeared behind them, and when the Sentinel came into sight the rescue party descended.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as they landed, a couple of the guards moving to Collette to tend to the injured girl in her arms. As Presea was set down, the guard holding Lloyd moved to do the same. The moment his feet touched the ground however he screamed, the woman immediately wrenching him up into the air and staying there.

She looked at him grimly as one of the guards darted over to the Sentinel and vanished.

"He's overdone it. I've not seen a member of the Nartana in this condition since the day the Mana Cannon was fired near the end of the war. Inartu Kratos was in critical condition when he was brought back, he was lucky to survive. It seems his son shares that luck, which is even luckier for us given that without Lloyd we're doomed."

Raine came over to stand below her, gazing up in concern.

"Why are you up there? If he's so hurt shouldn't you let him lie down."

The guard shook her head.

"No... If I put him on the ground right now he _will_ die. His body is so unbalanced right now that he has no control over his family's special ability. If he touches the ground for too long it will destroy him..."

Zelos turned and stared in shock.

"Hey hey hey! What 'special ability'?!"

She shook her head again.

"It is not for me to say. Only the Nartana and the Sumara Lords can deign to speak of it to those not of the Offspring Races, and no one outside of those has ever been told it. It is a secret I cannot speak, no matter how much you may ask me."

The guard who had disappeared through the nearby Sentinel reappeared, having returned with remarkable speed along with three healers. One of them went to Presea, but the other two began pulling items from their vers until they had a table set up with medicines of some kind and a low bed with base and sides made of some sort of marbled silver and golden metal. The guard descended, setting Lloyd inside it as again Raine gazed at him in concern.

"Will he be alright?"

One of the healers turned to her.

"He'll be find once we restrain his mana, but until the medicines take affect he'll have to stay in that bed. It's an alloy composed of inhibitor ore and a few other metals, an almost perfect mana insulator. It will keep his body in check while we tend to him." The other healer passed him a beaker filled to brimming with liquid. Without so much as pausing the man pulled Lloyd into a sitting position and tilted the youth's head so he could pour the cup's contents down his throat without stopping.

Lloyd spluttered, but the long practice of the healer meant that the speed of the flow was not more than the youth could keep up with.

As he swallowed the last of it, Lloyd opened his eyes weakly.

"...What... What happened?" He blinked sluggishly as he turned his head slightly to regard the metal box he was currently sat in. "Why am I..."

The healer took hold of Lloyd's chin and forced him to look at him.

"...You very nearly destroyed yourself, and _will _destroy yourself if you leave that frame before your body stabilises... You're lucky, you don't seem to be in quite as bad a shape as your atasi was that time four thousand years ago, but even so you're going to be somewhat weak for a couple of days."

Lloyd blanched white before averting his eyes.

"...Ata's going to be really upset with me..."

Sheena came over, stopping beside him.

"Not really. After all, _he_ was the one who gave you those things, and without them and you we'd probably be dead. He's going to be more angry that he wasn't there to help us, and I'm sure he'll get over it since you're not too badly hurt."

Lloyd stared at her.

"Uh, Sheena... We're talking about the Chosen of Restoration, his aturu, coming within seconds of being destroyed in every possible sense of the word... I came inches from wiping myself utterly from existence... Not even my _soul _would have been left to join with Krishka... That is _not_ something he's just going to 'get over'."

He'd spoken quiet enough that only the healers, Sheena, and Raine had heard, the half-elven healer beginning to look _very_ upset as she uttered in a harsh whisper.

"You damn alurannai and your secrets! I've known Lloyd for thirteen of his twenty-one years, and Spirits damn it he can harm himself close to death and none of you will tell me how!"

As Sheena and the healer averted their eyes, Lloyd sighed and began to lie down again.

"I'd tell you if I could, Raine, but for now it's something that it just too dangerous to the Alurannai and the future Giant Tree to risk speaking of."

As he closed his eyes Raine bit her lip, frustration warring with understanding for his dilemma. Whatever she might have said was lost though, as Collette's shout came from a short way away.

"Presea! She's waking up!"

Raine turned and headed over, leaving Lloyd to rest in the care of his people. Questions would just have to wait... for now.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Yup, it's the evil foreshadowing of the 'Nartana's Burden' again. I was stuck for a while for how to make the rescue interesting, and then decided to use the 'mini Shield Ring' idea I had up my sleeve. I **_**was**_** going to leave it a bit longer before using it, but it fit too well here to miss out.**


	67. Little people and a Big Wuss

**Alaia Skyhawk: Heheheheheh...**

**On a side note, for those that are interested, a threga is the name I gave to the amount of mana a living creature needs per minute to live. As mentioned a long time back, Alurannai can comfortably offset the mana requirement for ten people, meaning their comfortable max mana generating rate is ten threga per minute... Wasn't sure how to put this in a conversation so I just put it here since the word finally came up.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 67: Little people... and a Big Wuss

-

A muffled curse rose from behind them as they made their way towards the entrance of the Temple of Earth, the group pausing to look back to the alurannai youth who had just stumbled. They'd been dropped off at the nearby Sentinel just a few hours ago, two days after their rescue of Collette. Those had been tense days, with Lloyd being kept bed bound far past the time when the healers had declared his body and mana to have stabilised. It was only when Vayla had arrived that he'd been allowed to get up and walk around again, and even then he was watched like a hawk for any sign of a relapse. As it was he was still rather weak, as evidenced by his repeated tripping as they walked along the old road to the temple.

As Lloyd stumbled again, muttering, Vayla sighed.

"Are you sure you don't want me to carry you? You're obviously tiring."

The young Nartu shook his head, gritting his teeth as he continued to walk, the rest of the group falling in beside him once he reached them.

"No... We're almost to the temple anyway, so I'll rest when we set up camp." He let out a half-hearted laugh. "At least we're here to do the easiest of the pacts."

Raine frowned.

"Vayla, are you sure it's wise for him to attempt a pact in his condition? And why would this pact be the easiest?"

The alurannai woman regarded her.

"When you know how Gnome ticks and what to throw at him, he's a pushover. Of all the Greater Elemental Summon Spirits, he's the _worst_ at defending himself. He's a complete wimp. The only reason no summoner ever managed to make a pact with him prior to Mithos was because his First Test is a real doozy... Not one summoner made it through it without giving up, bursting into tears, or having a nervous breakdown..." She shook her head at the thought. "Well anyway, Lloyd and Sheena won't have to deal with that so getting our hands on this end of the Earth-Wind Mana Link will be easy."

The half-elven healer looked thoughtful as she mulled something over.

"Vayla... something has been making me wonder for a while. Remember back at Triet Base, when I was asking about the Mana Links. You told me then that it took your people just a day to come up with the Hourglass System, and just a couple of weeks to build it. How could your people have come up with such complicated structures for the anchor points in so little time?"

The ebon haired woman blinked before answering.

"Ah that... Yeah I guess it would seem a bit quick. We based them off a design we had in our archives, some ancient blueprint for a mana regulation system. It was designed way back when the Alurannai were still in their first generation, but was never built because it was never needed. One of the ten alurannai who worked on building the Temples designed it, and just dumped the blueprints into what was, back then, a very disorganised archive system. Their name was never attached to it, like so many of the records from back then, so we have no idea who actually came up with it. As for the Seals, we stripped the upper section off the middle of the design, and modified the innards to route the Mana Links rather than standard mana flow. It saved us a lot of time." She shrugged. "We reuse a lot of things; even the emblem of Cruxis is reused. Yggdrasil asked Kratos to come up with something back when Cruxis was first founded, and Kratos just simplified a design that already exists in the temples; taking some of the scrollwork off the symbol and removing some of the detail. The three plain arcs on the outside of the emblem are feathered wings on the original. Taking the detail out meant that adding it to the things he built when modifying the temples was far less tedious than it would have been. It also preserves the original symbol, which represents the three Offspring Races' protection of the world."

Zelos raised a hand.

"One question... What about the two circles in the middle? I thought they symbolised the two worlds, Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, but if that emblem is as old as you say then what the heck do they represent?"

Vayla paused, at a loss.

"Um... I have no idea. The original emblem was included in the blueprint we modified, so it might have been designed by the same person. Who knows what they had in mind with that..."

"Hey, you losers can't just barge in here!"

The group stopped in their tracks, all turning to stare at the diminutive little figure stood in the middle of the road ahead of them, the temple entrance visible as a hole in the cliff face some fifty yards away.

Lloyd blinked.

"Hey, it's another of those things."

It glared at him from below its pointed blue hat.

"Who you callin' a thing?! You wanna fight? Huh?"

There was a brief pause before Vayla cleared her throat.

"Lloyd... That is a Gnomelette." She glanced at the creature. "We have business further on ahead. Will you please let us through?"

It tilted its head.

"Hey, I remember you. You came here with that scary Mithos dude four and a half thousand years ago... Sure, you can go in."

Collette grinned.

"Thank you!"

The blue hatted Gnomelette regarded her.

"Aww, you don't have to thank me, hunny. You're making me blush."

It turned and walked away, while Genis gave a slow sidelong glance to a certain red head.

"Hmm, that sounds like someone we know…"

Zelos was taken aback.

"What? That's what I'm like? Talk about a shock."

Lloyd chuckled.

"You know full well what you're like with people you don't trust. Let's just go and set up camp already."

The group moved on, coming to yet another stop as they were confronted by four more of the little creatures in the company of the one from a minute before, one of which they'd met already in the Toize Valley Mine. As they stood there, the one with the black hat glared at them and brandished a dagger it seemed to pull from nowhere.

"What? You losers got a problem? You wanna fight?"

Sheena took a step back.

"Myrta, are they all like this?"

Vayla grimaced.

"Unfortunately, yes. Gnome's First Test is the Test of Patience, and these guys are the ones that run it..."

The one with the purple hat nodded sagely.

"Yup, that's our job. I'm Big Brother, the leader of the Gnomelettes, and do the first part where I stare at the summoner until I decide they've had enough and send them to him."

He pointed to another of the Gnomelettes, who waved.

"I make the summoner do a handstand on a rock and then I poke them with a stick until I decide they've had enough and then I send them to him."

He pointed to the one with a blue hat that had called Collette 'hunny'.

"I make them climb a rock wall and bring me different rocks over and over until they pass, then I send them to him."

The one with a black hat was next. It waved its dagger.

"I make them move the same pile of rocks from one place to another over and over." It lowered the dagger and tilted its head. "Only Mithos ever got past me, the rest either burst into tears or tried to stab me with this."

The last one, with the green hat, nodded.

"Yup. I do the last test and he's the only one who has ever got to me. I kept asking him 'why?'."

Lloyd grinned.

"Hey, my ata told me about you! He said you let Mithos past because he kept saying..."

"DON'T SAY IT!"

"...because..."

As the green hatted Gnomelette went bug-eyed and dashed off to a nearby boulder to proceed to beat its head off it blubbering incoherently, Big Brother looked rather embarrassed.

"Ah yeah, touchy subject for him. He and Mithos shouted 'why' 'b' back at each other for about seven hours before he lost it. Hasn't been able to face 'the word' since then. Could a couple of you guys take him to the temple? He's ruining our rep with his crying."

The last part was directed at his fellows, the ones with the red and black hats going over to and dragging the one with the green hat towards the temple. As soon as only the black and blue hatted Gnomelettes remained, Genis blinked before speaking in a bemused tone.

"O-kay, now that was weird; and you weren't kidding about that test, Vayla."

The alurannai woman cleared her throat.

"Yeah, well it backfired on Gnome big time... Mithos totally beat the crap out of him for it."

Big Brother nodded, giving his purple hat a tweak.

"Ya, he was big time sore after _that_ pounding." He walked over to and climbed up to sit on the boulder the green hatted Gnomelette had been at. "So you guys finally came here. When I told the Boss I'd seen you in that mine he was wondering when you'd come here."

After walking over to peer at the Gnomelette curiously, Collette tilted her head.

"How did you get here so fast? It was only a few weeks ago we saw you at the mine, and that's over one and a half thousand miles from here."

The Gnomelette look puzzled.

"I walked."

Genis raised an eyebrow.

"But what about crossing the sea?"

The Gnomelette tilted its head.

"What sea? I walked."

At that moment Vayla realised what he was talking about.

"Ah, one of those... I didn't realise they were still usable."

The purple hat got another tweak.

"They're not. It's just that that one goes further before it gets blocked than the others do, so when I found a gap to get out I explored a bit and then saw you."

Raine tapped Vayla on the shoulder.

"What is he talking about?"

The alurannai woman shook her head.

"Nothing important to us. I'll tell you about it some other time."

Putting an end to the conversation, Vayla prompted Lloyd and Sheena to begin getting the group's camping and cooking gear out of their vers, the activity clearly intriguing the two watching Gnomelettes who lived in caves and ate rocks. It was as she was just serving up a pot of stew to Martel's recipe that the blue hatted Gnomelette could resist temptation no more and came over.

It poked her.

"Is that 'spicy'?"

She looked down at the black eyes peering up at her.

"Um, no. You want to know what 'spicy' tastes like?"

It nodded eagerly.

"Yeah! Big Brother wanted to know what 'potion' tasted like, but I want to know 'spicy'."

She sighed.

"Alright, I'll spice a bowl of it up for you to try... Genis, hand me the bag with the seasonings in it."

The young mage did as was asked and Vayla rummaged through it, quickly finding that there was very little left in it that could be termed 'spicy'. It was after a minute or so that she found a small jar in the bottom labelled 'curry mix'. She shrugged, ladling a small amount of stew into a dish and tipping about a tablespoon worth of the jar's contents in after it. Lastly, after stirring it in, she handed the dish to the creature... all the while not recognising that the label on the jar was in Raine's handwriting...

It peered at it.

"So this is 'spicy'?"

Vayla brought a hand to her face in resignation.

"Yes... and don't eat the bowl."

The blue hatted Gnomelette stuck its tongue out at her, before tipping the bowl's contents into its mouth and swallowing... Five seconds later it made a choking sound before promptly passing out much to Vayla's shock.

Genis stared.

"Whoa! What did you put in there?!"

Vayla held up the jar labelled 'curry mix'.

"Some of this..."

Lloyd spluttered, almost choking on the stew he'd just swallowed.

"You put _that_ in there?! _Raine_ made that! We hid it in the bottom of the bag after we saw her powdering whole Naga Chillies into it. I don't know where she bought them, but after we saw her put _five_ into that jar we wanted nothing to do with it!"

Genis cringed.

"We were just waiting to find a safe place to dispose of it... After all we didn't want to risk _poisoning_ something."

Vayla turned her head slowly to look at a rather put out Raine, before again glancing at the downed Gnomelette, and then looking at the palm-sized squat jar.

"...You put _five_ Naga Chillies in here? ...For a jar of mix this size you'd need just a _sliver_ of one to make the mix hot... Five is _insane_..."

Big Brother had come down off his rock, peering anxiously at his comatose peer.

"Is he gonna be alright?"

Vayla put the jar in her ver, making a mental note to take it to the alurannai alchemists that specialised in disposing of dangerous substances.

"He's going to have the mother of all stomach aches when he wakes up... and have it for several weeks given that he just swallowed the equivalent of a whole Naga Chilli... If he weren't a Gnomelette I'd be calling for a healer. Most humans, elves, etc would require _hospitalisation _after eating that. Gnomelettes at least are used to eating rocks, so he's got that to his advantage. His stomach can handle a lot, so he should be fine despite his small size."

Presea came over, crouching down to poke the downed Gnomelette.

"Do you want some help getting him into the temple? I don't think he should be left there."

Big Brother blinked several times.

"Uh... sure."

The rose haired girl picked the 'chilli fried Gnomelette' up and followed Big Brother, Genis getting up and going with them as they headed for the temple entrance.

Watching them go, Regal shook his head.

"I believe I truly understand now why Lloyd and Genis are so adamant that Raine never cooks our meals... If she were to do so I suspect Cruxis would never need to deal with us..."

There was silence for a moment, until the import of his words sunk in and the half-elf in question glared at him.

"Care to explain that statement?!"

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The group walked towards the now familiar structure of a Seal, build atop the old stone altar, having passed through the temple above and made their way to this cavern and along a downward sloping ledge that looped back on itself halfway down. Now they stood on a large roughly circular platform, the far side rising upwards in a sheer rock face that met the roof above, and to the sides dropping away into vast ravines like the ones they had crossed when crossing the bridges in the upper chambers, though these were considerably wider. There was a faint rumble, though it quickly became a roar of grinding stone as spears of rock jutted out of the ground around the dais before sinking back from whence they came. When the last of them had gone they found themselves looking at the figure of Gnome... in all his 'giant talking gofer' wonder.

Lloyd raised an eyebrow.

"So this is Gnome?"

The Summon Spirit regarded him thoughtfully.

"Hmm…so, you're the Chosen of Restoration, huh? You look like you're about to fall over..."

Lloyd rolled his eyes, being fully rested now he was confident he could handle the fight... Especially since Vayla had given him and Sheena some tips.

The two of them stepped forward.

"We are Lloyd Aurion and Alysii Targathyr. We seek a pact with Gnome, and ask that you anulst thy pact with Mithos, and by our right as alurannai, establish a new join pact with us."

The Spirit looked rather off put.

"Man, you sure use some stuffy language. Bleh."

Sheena frowned.

"Uh, well…This is how we were taught to do it."

Gnome tilted his head before calling up what looked like a spade.

"Really? Oh yeah well, whatever. All right, show me whatcha got. Bring it on! Come on! Heh!"

Lloyd glanced back at the others.

"Vayla, Genis, you're up. The rest of you back up to the other side of the last bridge and watch from there."

The group did as asked, Vayla speaking into the minds of those about to fight.

**Everyone cast spells and summons as agreed... Time to watch him squeal like a little girl...**

All four of them had wicked grins on their faces, Gnome only now realising something was up.

"Uhh... Why are you looking at me like that?"

Sheena tilted her head.

"Can we start now?"

He blinked.

"Um... ok."

Genis suddenly began to cast, four years of practice letting him do something he'd always wanted to do... String three level three spells in a row.

"INDIGNATION! EXPLOSION! RAY!"

Gnome went wide eyed before trying to make a run for it.

"AHH! NOT THIS AGAIN!!"

Vayla followed the three with three more...

"PRISM SWORD! VOLT ARROW! ATLAS!"

"NO FAIR!!

The group on the other side of the bridge watched in stunned silence, flinching in sympathy as each spell found its wailing target. The sympathy grew when both Lloyd and Sheena began to summon.

"I CALL UPON THE MAIDEN OF THE MISTS! AND I CALL UPON THE CENTRE OF THE BALANCE. THAT WHICH UNITES ALL AS ONE!"

"I CALL UPON THE HAMMER OF GODLY THUNDER! AND I CALL UPON THE LORD OF THE ETERNAL MUSIC. THE BEAT WHICH EXISTS WITHIN ALL!"

Gnome stared at them in terror.

"Aww crap... _FOUR THIS TIME?!_"

"I SUMMON THEE! COME, UNDINE! DALLINIUS!"

"I SUMMON THEE! COME, VOLT! VERIUS!"

Four Summon Spirits appeared and surrounded a trembling Gnome, the white wolf among the four grinning.

"I thought this looked like fun the first time I watched it... Now I know it is..."

Gnome whimpered, just like last time, before he was pounded into the floor. As the last of the spells ended, Volt and Undine vanishing while the other two dropped to the floor in their lesser forms, he got up and pouted.

"You guys fight dirty, you know that? I mean, what's up with that four-on-one garbage?! Mithos…well, he did it by himself!"

Vayla coughed into her hand.

"Yeah, after your Test of Patience gave him the serious urge to beat you to a pulp. Face it Gnome, you're a wimp..."

He glared at her.

"Oh yeah? Well, whatever!" He turned to Lloyd and Sheena. "Make your vow already!"

He then proceeded to sulk...

Sheena and Lloyd glanced at each other

"We Vow for the sake of all, to do what we must to restore the mana for the sake of the World."

Gnome sighed, still sulking.

"Hmm…well, all right. I'll go ahead and lend my power to you guys."

And with that he vanished, two streams of power settling into the hands of the two youths to become rings set with ruby.

Genis began to laugh.

"Man that was fun! The look on his face when we copied what Mithos did!"

The rest of the group returned, congratulating Lloyd and Sheena on getting their third pact. The group whole once more with Collette back with them, they'd now just taken one more step towards restoring the true form of the world.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

********

Alaia Skyhawk: Hehehehehe, I've been looking forward to recreating the scene from Prequel for ages, and for the record, yes I've given Genis light spells, in case you forgot the scene at Aisa where he was trying to cast Holy Lance.

As for the stuff about the Alurannai building the Seals and about the 'Cruxis Emblem'; those of you that have played Dawn of the New World will spot the plot holes I've filled with that... and a certain implied thing the Alurannai don't know about that comes from it... That's why this chapter was delayed, while I plotted out some hole-filling, and pre-wrote a relevant connected scene for book 4 so I wouldn't lose the details for later.

Oh and yeah, I know Big Brother actually has the red hat, but I had to go with the order I'd used in the Prequel chapter with them in. I wrote that after not playing ToS for a while so made that slight mistake, but it's too much of a pain to fix now over such a small thing.

Last thing, about those chillies... Take a look at this,

timesonline(dot)co(dot)uk /tol /news /uk /article700700(dot)ece (change (dot) to . and take out the spaces)

, and search 'chilli tests Dorset Naga' on Youtube and watch as an experienced chilli taster eats a whole one... My sympathies go to the guy... Ouch...


	68. Through Enemy Territory

**Alaia Skyhawk: Here's the next one.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 68: Through Enemy Territory

-

It was the dead of night, the paved streets silent but for the clanking of the armour worn by the patrolling City Watch. Mana lanterns cast their pale glow over the ground, deep shadows turning familiar streets into places which the imagination would have be full of secrets or danger. Secrets was what those shadows hid this night, as a large but faint ripple in the air darted from one to another before racing up the Great Meltokio Stairway. It was halfway up the third flight when one of the occupants whispered harshly within the sound wards that stopped their dash from being heard.

"Where the heck are we going? There's nowhere we can stay in this city without being caught! Why the heck did we even come in here, we should have just camped a few miles away and be done with it! It's only been three and a half weeks since the Alurannai topped our supplies up, so it's not like we needed to come in here for anything!"

The alurannai woman holding the wards and illusion in place glanced back at Zelos, although she didn't stop from keeping the group moving.

"We're going to stay with a friend of Sanaro's. We visited her the last time we were here, before we met up with you at your mansion. She's the secretary of Sanaro's spy network, so I'm taking this opportunity to get an update from her."

Genis began to grumble.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me! Her office is _tiny_, we'll never all fit in there! It was bad enough the last time!"

Lloyd grimaced.

"He has a point, there are four more of us this time, and with five who need to sleep there's going to be a fight over who gets to use the two couches."

Vayla snorted.

"Easily solved... Ladies get priority on them, meaning Raine and Presea get them. Regal, Zelos, and Genis can sleep on the floor."

The red-head among those three sighed.

"Aww man, that sucks."

She ignored him, increasing the pace to discourage any more talking. Ten minutes later saw them reach the top of the stairway, after pausing several times to let guards pass. Without any further fussing she took them into the Noble's District and down the second alley on the left. As it had last time, a mental shout brought the elf below out of her concealed office to lift the magic locked manhole cover.

The group dropped down, entering the office through the illusion wall to find the room just as cluttered as it had been the last time.

Squeezing in past them as they crowded together so as to not knock anything off one of the paper strewn tables, Gaea brushed a stray strand of her midnight blue hair behind a pointed ear. Her voice was somewhat irritated when she spoke.

"Let me guess, you need to spend the night here..." She turned and looked at them with her pale blue eyes, sighing in exasperation. "Fine, whatever. I'll clear some of the tables away so some of you can sleep on the floor... And yes, Vayla, I know you'll want an update. It can wait until you're not falling over each other from lack of space..."

Not waiting for a response, the Crystal User unceremoniously bundled up the contents of two of her several tables and stuffed them in a wing pack on her belt. The tables followed, leaving a reasonable area of floor clear. As for the two couches, it seemed that Kaleian hadn't been by in a while since both of them weren't obscured like last time.

The group gratefully spread out, Raine and Presea perching on the couches while Lloyd handed out the sleeping bags to the three sleep needing members who would be resting on the floor; the rest of the group would just stay awake for tonight.

It was just as he was straightening his own sleeping bag that Zelos glanced up from where he knelt to regard the elf.

"So you're a friend of Sanaro's, huh?" He smirked and stood up. "The sly dog, he never told me he had such a looker working for hi... Yeouch!"

The Tethe'allan Chosen doubled over, having just been struck in the gut by a small bolt of lightning.

Her fingers still sparking, Gaea regarded him coolly.

"If I didn't already know from Sanaro that your 'flirting routine' is something you use as a defence when you don't trust someone... I'd have aimed lower... Please keep your mouth shut from now on unless you have something intelligent to say. I can't abide idiots, so if you act like one I'll treat you like one."

Zelos winced as he remained bent over clutching his stomach.

"...Got it... No 'flirting routine'... Oww..."

Leaving him to nurse his bruises, Gaea turned to Vayla.

"Once again your timing is impeccable, Vayla. Sanaro and I will be heading out in the early hours to carry out a sting. We've discovered that the king's illness isn't natural; Sanaro thinks someone is using Vireteran. As second in command of the King's Knights, he's been able to stay close to the king these past few months since Zelos left the city, and he says the king's symptoms match a similar case he remembers from back during the Kharlan War. The network have been scouting out for a possible source since we began suspecting it, since Vireteran is hard to come by, and we think we've found it."

Regal left his sleeping bag, walking over.

"The king is being _poisoned?_"

The elven woman nodded.

"Yes, we're completely certain of it. Vireteran, when prepared in a certain way, is a powerful medicine for treating infections; but if distilled from raw, with no other ingredients, it's a deadly slow acting poison. Sanaro managed to slip a small amount of the antidote into a drink he gave the king two months back, it wasn't much but the king's condition _did_ improve a little afterwards. If we're right in the rest of our info then the handover of the next batch of Vireteran will take place a few hours from now, at a place where the west-side sewers connect to the down flow from the top level of the city. Both parties we suspect are involved were seen close to that point the last time we think a handover took place, just a day before the last time the king's condition worsened."

The blue haired duke frowned.

"Who do you think are involved?"

Pale blue eyes gave him a long look before she answered.

"The man we think received the poison is Pope Kartoffel's personal aide... The one we think is supplying it is an exsphere broker called Vharley."

"Vharley?!"

The exclamation had come from both Regal and Presea, the latter getting to her feet.

"If he's involved then I'm coming with you!"

Gaea blinked.

"What's Vharley to you?"

Presea clenched her fists, her blue eyes hard.

"He's the reason my sister is dead from an exsphere experiment, the same experiment he helped to be performed on me! I've lost nearly _eighteen years_ of my life existing as a puppet because of him!"

Shocked silence followed that statement, Raine slowly getting to her feet.

"Eighteen years? ...But you're only thirteen, you were twelve when we cured you..."

Presea fell silent, eyes on the floor as Vayla walked over to her.

Putting a hand on the girl's shoulder, she spoke in a soft voice.

"How old are you really, Presea?"

The girl looked uncomfortable, hesitating before finally answering.

"...I'm thirty-two... I was twelve when Vharley took me to Sybak... I think it's part of why everyone in Ozette was afraid of me, because while they grew older _I_ never changed..."

Raine looked puzzled.

"Vayla, do you have any idea how this is possible? She's aging now; we know that because she's a little taller now than when she joined us, but to stay twelve for eighteen years..."

Lloyd's voice got their attention.

"It's obvious... The experiment was the Angelus Project, an attempt to create Cruxis Crystals, and Crystals stop their users from aging the moment they are equipped. My myrta aged when she was being used for that, but the crest on hers wasn't as advanced as the one on Presea. Something about hers must have caused the exsphere to halt her aging, up until the point where I made that crest she's wearing now and put it on her."

Vayla nodded.

"Lloyd is likely correct." She regarded Presea with concern. "Presea, the first chance that the group gets to rest at an Alurannai settlement, I want some of our healers to take a look at you just in case. You seem fine at the moment, which is why I won't insist on it being done now. Is that ok with you?"

The girl nodded numbly, before returning to her couch and sitting in silence, Genis and Collette going to her side to try and cheer her up. Meanwhile one member of the group was having a little more difficulty in believing what he'd just heard.

Zelos stared.

"Sh-She's thirty-two?! That little girl is older than me?! That's cr..."

Across the room Gaea held up a handful of lightning.

"Have a little concern for her feelings, unless you want me to 'teach' you some tact..."

The Chosen turned away and became _very_ interested in his sleeping bag; one zap from her was more than enough for one night.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

To say Gaea wasn't particularly happy right now was something of an understatement, as sparks near constantly danced between the fingers of her right hand. The entire Restoration Group, minus the Spirits and Protozoans, was currently hovering behind a veil of illusion near the ceilings of the three huge sewer pipes that converged at the junction suspected of being an exchange point. When Sanaro had shown up at her office half an hour ago everyone in the room had been awake, and all had insisted on coming. Thus, right now, the five present who couldn't fly were being held by him, Collette, and the three alurannai... leaving herself with her hands free while she smouldered with irritation.

"Why in Spirit's names did _everyone_ have to come? I _never_ work like this."

Her hissed mutterings reached the ears of the blond knight beside her, a rather nervous Genis tucked under one of his arms.

"Put it this way, Gaea, now we have enough people here to block all three paths so that anyone who comes here can't escape."

She glared at him.

"I could have done that by getting Grahan down here! He's living behind that tanner's fifty yards away on the street above us. He's probably watching the street now!" She shook her head. "I _hate _working with amateurs. Vayla, Lloyd, and Sheena, sure because I can trust them to remember my instructions exactly, but the rest..."

Genis frowned.

"Hey, I resent that! My sis wouldn't be too happy to hear that either!"

Gaea rolled her eyes.

"Fine, whatever, so I admit you two would follow instructions too; but that doesn't change the fact that your espionage experience is _zero_."

Genis smirked.

"But so is Lloyd and Sheena's" Sparking fingers were lifted to his eye level, making him flinch. "Shutting up!"

A voice sounded in all of their heads, Vayla's tone sounding urgent.

**Someone's coming down the side of the down flow... It's the Pope's aide!**

The elven Crystal User allowed herself a small smile.

_/Right on time... If we're right then the guy coming up from the pipe behind me is Vharley./_

Genis blinked before he whispered.

"You never said there was someone coming up ours!"

Sanaro murmured in his ear.

"She doesn't interact with non-Crystal Users that often, so she tends to forget not everyone's hearing is as good as hers. Now keep quiet, or sound ward or not he might hear you."

Silence fell again, the tension mounting as the Pope's aide stopped at the junction, a broad built man with most of his hair but the top shaved off walking past beneath the knight, mage, and elf. He didn't stop, instead making his way calmly over the bridge that spanned the rancid flow below to cross it to where the aide stood in his helm-less armour.

He turned, an expression of recognition coming to his face before he pulled a pouch of coin from its place of concealment.

"Here's the money, Vharley, now hand it over. I don't have the time to stand here waiting. If this takes too long someone will suspect."

The exsphere broker grabbed the pouch, tipping out a handful of ceitres and counting them while the anxious aide shuffled his feet. Once done he tipped them back into the pouch and handed a small bottle to him.

"Yup, it's all there. Heh…"

The aide carefully pocketed the vial.

"How long before the King is dead?"

Vharley snorted.

"Probably another month or so with this poison. Though if the Pope screws up again with giving it to the king it will take longer... Idiot actually let the king's condition improve."

The aide looked offended.

"He must have done it to make the illness seem more natural, that's all."

Vharley shrugged, not particularly interested, and also oblivious to the eleven assorted fighters who were now on foot blocking all of the exits.

"Well he told me he wanted it to look natural, which is why I had to get such an obscure poison."

Gaea's smile widened as she gave the signal.

_/We've got him! Move in! ./_

The next moment three veils of illusion fell, eleven people moving in to surround the two conspirators.

The aide exclaimed in shock.

"What the?! It's the Chosen!"

Vharley looked around wide eyed, those eyes widening further as he spotted Regal and Presea.

"What? You two!"

Regal's expression was furious.

"It's time you pay for your crimes, Vharley!"

Presea was just as angry, as without warning she pulled her axe from its strap and charged at him.

"…I won't forgive you for what you did to me and my sister!"

The group didn't get a chance to stop it, and quite frankly even if they had they wouldn't have prevented the blow that sent Vharley crumpling to the mildewed stone floor.

He let out a choked gasp.

"I'm going to die here?… You've…got to be…kidding me… I'm going…to die…here like…that damned…Alicia?"

Presea moved to strike him again, but was stopped by Regal.

"Don't insult Alicia!"

Regal pulled her backwards, as Sanaro moved to bind the hands of the aide, gag him, and relieve him of the vial of poison. That job done, he tentatively opened it and sniffed it before replacing the stopper.

"It's Vireteran alright... Let's head to the Cathedral and arrest the Pope. Now that I have concrete evidence I have the authority to arrest him."

Lloyd held up a fist in triumph.

"All right. Let's get the Pope!"

They headed up the side of the down flow, a now panicking gagged aide tucked under Gaea's arm and held there by her unrelenting grip as she carried him like a ragdoll. Reaching the top Sanaro took them left and then right at the next junction, only stopping when he reached a point where the path and top half of the pipe were blocked by a cast iron grill with a locked gate set into it.

He began to search his pockets, before slapping himself on the forehead.

"Damn it! I left my set of keys back in the castle." He shook his head and sighed. "Oh well, it wouldn't be the first time I've done this in my long life..."

He took hold of the gate with both hands before yanking it out of its frame accompanied by the squeal of protesting metal, and as he tossed it into the filthy water alongside the ledge they were on the aide began to look even more scared if that were even possible.

Gaea jolted him a little.

"All of a sudden messing with the king doesn't look like such a great idea does it... Especially when the second in command of his Knights could rip you in two with his bare hands... Bad idea, buster, bad idea."

Raine raised an eyebrow.

"Don't you think you're enjoying this just a little too much?"

The elf turned to glance back at her.

"Not really. I despise people who act for personal gain, and care nothing for the people they make suffer to achieve it. The Pope has hurt far too many people for me to give even a shred of sympathy to him or his lackeys. They're going to face the full force of Tethe'alla's justice system, and since Zelos can vouch that the Pope has tried to off him, that alone could warrant execution even with Kartoffel being the king's bastard half-brother. The guy is a serious hypocrite, with no value for others' lives. He's willing to kill his brother for power, and even had his own daughter enslaved at the Imperial Research Academy. The guy used to fight for the welfare of half-elves, and then turned on them after he grew older while his half-blooded daughter barely changed."

Genis exclaimed in shock.

"What?! He has a half-elven daughter?!"

Gaea nodded, knocking out the man in her grasp as an afterthought so he wouldn't hear anything else compromising.

"Yes, and you've met her. Her name is Kate, and we rescued her not that long ago. She was being blamed for your escape from Sybak, and was about to be executed here in Meltokio. Kartoffel didn't so much as lift a finger to defend her, so I stepped in and snatched her from the prison. I sent her to Heimdall with a friend, the elves will ensure she's taken to one of their less known villages to keep her safe. We're hoping that one day we can get the king to accept her as his niece, since she _is_ related to him that way. If we can it would be a cornerstone in mending the rift between humans and half-elves."

Sanaro called from the front.

"Can the political manipulation talk wait until later. If my sense of time is right then it's almost time for the dawn service in the Cathedral. The Pope will be in his office by now and we need to get him there where there's less people to raise a fuss."

The group broke into a run, following him through the damaged gate and up a ladder not far beyond. They came out right next to the Cathedral's southern wall, the opposite side from the Castle Plaza at the top of the Great Meltokio Stairway. He then led them to a side door, the group creeping down the side of the worshipper filled hall and slipping through yet another door into an ornate office at least the noise in the hall would prevent anyone from hearing any fuss inside the room.

The Pope had his back to them when they entered, his voice holding a note of annoyance.

"You're late!"

Zelos began to chuckle before speaking with considerable sarcasm.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry!"

Kartoffel spun to face them, his expression turning to disbelief as he spotted his unconscious aide and Sanaro strode over to grab him by the arm.

"What?! What are you people doing here?!"

The blond knight regarded him flatly.

"I, Sanru Keran, Second in Command of the King's Knights, am hereby arresting you for the crime of treason!"

Zelos walked over.

"You're poisoning His Majesty. We have the proof."

The Pope glared at him.

"…I don't know what you're talking about."

He got a disdainful snort in response.

"You're certainly a stubborn little liar... Vharley is lying dead at the exchange point in the sewers after we witnessed him selling a vial of Vireteran poison to your aide, and even griping that your 'screw up' of the dosage a while back let the king recover a little... Too bad for you that the recovery was actually due to Sanru here slipping some of the antidote for Vireteran to him after suspecting that was the cause."

Kartoffel continued to deny it.

"…I don't know anything!"

He began to struggle, Sanaro not budging so much as an inch as Raine came over.

"Then let's have you drink what's in the vial... If it's not poison then you've nothing to worry about."

Gaea glanced at her fingernails.

"Though if it _is_ Vireteran, that amount all at once will mean a certain agonising and fairly quick death... slow acting poison or not..."

The Pope blanched.

"…A…all right! I admit it! I was trying to poison the king!

The elven woman lowered her hand and stared at him.

"Well 'trying' isn't quite correct, but it's close enough."

It was then that Genis pushed his way through the group to the front, his expression angry.

"I have something I want to ask you. Why did you try to have Kate executed?! She's your daughter!"

Kartoffel began to splutter.

"…Sh…shut up! What do you know?!"

The reply was derisive.

"Yeah, I don't! I don't know, so that's why I'm asking! Are you _stupid_ or something?!"

Lloyd was glaring now.

"You have a half-elven daughter! Why would you take the initiative in creating rules to oppress half-elves?"

The clergyman glared back.

"When I was young, I also thought the oppression of half-elves was wrong... But are you capable of understanding the terror of growing older, while your child, who supposedly shares your blood, does not?"

The teenage mage clenched his fists.

"That's not Kate's fault. That's the kind of species half-elves are!"

"Yes, and that is why they are shunned! I understand the feelings of those who persecute them, because my daughter is a half-elf. She terrifies me!"

Sheena placed a hand on Genis' shoulder.

"That's enough... We still have to go give the antidote to the king."

Sanaro nodded, before proceeding to bind and gag the Pope as he had done the aide.

"Yeah... There's a passage that connects this office to the castle. It comes out at the base of the stairs below the Scarlet Room, close to the wing where the Kings Knights are quartered. We can hand him and his aide over to Captain Denler before we head up to the king's chambers."

The Pope was the next individual to find himself carried under arm, the group spitting to stand fore and aft of Sanaro and Gaea as they acted as escort down the passage opened by the knight. It was a fairly long walk, almost four hundred yards, and through it all Kartoffel kicked and struggled, not that it did him any good. He stopped however when, as the group exited the passage, they had the bad luck to come out just as a squad of the Castle Guard were coming down the hallway.

The Pope managed a muffled call for help, a feeble attempt at buying himself a chance to escape. The guards heard it, not quite registering who it was holding the clergyman as they charged down the hall drawing weapons. Collette just happened to be on that side, and out of habit drew her wings to ready a spell to block them.

The guards skidded to a stop.

"It's an angel!"

"An angel has come down from heaven! It's the second coming of Spiritua!"

Zelos grinned as inspiration struck, before switching to a highly spoken tone of voice.

"Look! Your heretical deeds have brought down an emissary of Cruxis!"

The group had to choke back a few coughs at that statement, the guards meanwhile starting to back up.

"Chosen One! Then this must truly be!"

The red-head continued to lay it on thick.

"Yes, she is the angel of death and destruction. Spiritua has returned!"

The armoured men were almost frozen to the spot in terror.

"Pl…please forgive us, oh great angel!"

Collette, who was hovering above the floor uncertainly, looked over her shoulder.

_/Ah…um…um…what should I do? ./_

Zelos glanced at her.

_/Don't worry and just follow my lead./_ He gazed up at her as though in awe. "Oh, holy angel, how shall we deal with these creatures?"

Lloyd hid a smile.

**Colette, say you're going to kill them. **

She still looked uncertain.

_/B…but…/ _

**It's okay. Just say it like you're in command. **

Collette looked at the guards, trying to put on a fierce expression.

"Um…um…Die!"

It was just as well the squad were too scared out of their wits to notice her hesitation.

"P…please! Forgive us!"

Zelos continued his little act, clearly enjoying himself.

"Holy one! Please spare their lives in my name. I will defeat those who oppose you and once again act as the Chosen to spread the teachings of Martel. Please!"

He wasn't the only one.

**Say you'll forgive them.**

Colette glanced back again before doing as asked.

"Ah, okay…I shall forgive you."

Zelos turned to the guards, lifting an arm to indicate the rather uncomfortable young woman.

"Did you hear that?! The angel has recognized the Chosen as the true holy will of the church. Leave at once and capture my enemies, the Papal Knights! Whose leader, the Pope, has committed highest treason against Tethe'alla and the Chosen!"

The guards saluted shakily.

"Y…yes, sir!"

He folded his arms.

"Oh, and see to it that the Church revokes the wanted status of the Chosen's companions at once!"

The guards saluted again before making a break for it.

"Yes, sir! Everyone, do as the Chosen commands!"

Watching them go, Gaea raised an eyebrow.

"I hate to say it, but nice job, Zelos."

He turned to regard her.

"Hey, I may act like a jerk, but that doesn't mean I don't look out for my friends. As soon as they said Spiritua, I just used it to get us out of trouble." He smiled and tapped the side of his head with a finger. "You wouldn't believe the amount of odds and ends of info I have up here. Aunt Hiria taught me how to remember stuff after hearing it once, and to recall it later as needed. I'm nowhere near as good at it as a Crystal User or an Alurannai, but I have my uses."

She tilted her head.

"Sanaro was right about you... You're a man who can be relied on, because you return trust with trust." She turned to Sanaro. "Well then, shall we drop our two guests off with Denler?"

He nodded before pointing to the man still tucked under her arm.

"Yeah. Give me him and I'll take them both to the Captain. You all go on ahead, I'll catch up."

She handed the aide to him, the knight sprinting down the hall in the direction of the King's Knights' Quarters. The rest of them did as asked, dashing through the castle's passages leaving a fair number of startled nobles and servants in their wake. It didn't take long to reach the king's chambers by the direct route, unlike the convoluted one they'd used previous, and this time they didn't need fast talking to get in, Zelos' presence saw to that.

He pushed the guard at the double doors aside, opening them without slowing in the slightest before striding into the room and calling out.

"Your Majesty!"

The king sat up weakly, his daughter Hilda rising to her feet from her chair beside the bed.

She moved to block them reaching him.

"W…wait!"

Zelos gently pushed her aside.

"Princess. Please let us see His Majesty. He's been poisoned by the Pope."

The princess covered her mouth in shock.

"That can't be…"

Lloyd took her to the side, as Gaea strode past Zelos with a vial pulled from her wing pack.

"It's true. We have the proof, and Sanru has arrested him. We've come here with the antidote."

The elven woman sat down on the edge of the bed and offered the vial.

"You've been poisoned with Vireteran, a slow acting poison that in small repeated doses causes symptoms similar to certain long term illnesses. Sanru slipped you a small amount of this antidote a few months back as a test, after he suspected what was going on, and your improved condition made it certain what was being given to you... But lacking proof he had no choice but to wait for the chance to catch an exchange in progress. That's what happened less than an hour ago. We caught the Pope's personal aide buying a vial of the poison from the exsphere broker, Vharley Rothan, and upon confronting the Pope we got a confession after a little persuasion."

The king regarded the vial with a certain amount of suspicion.

"How do I know you're really from Sanru? I don't know you at all."

There was a flare of light as a slightly ruffled Sanaro appeared in the middle of the room and almost landed on Raine, a flick of as quickly appearing emerald wings preventing the healer from getting flattened.

"Oops, sorry." He landed, grimacing when he realised he'd just blow his cover. "Damn..."

Hilda gasped.

"You're an angel?!"

Sanaro shook his head.

"No, I'm a Crystal User from the time before the arising of Cruxis and the Church of Martel. I supposed I should be honest with you now, since no amount of excuses is going to undo my little slip just then." He winced. "I meant to land in the hallway, around the corner from the guard... My aim when light jumping a long distance never was as good as Yuan's."

Gaea called forth her own wings, feathered lengths of blue dappled white.

"I'm one as well, and we've been watching over Tethe'alla as a favour for the Alurannai. This is a time of much unrest, and for Kartoffel Tethan'no to gain Tethe'alla's throne, as he has surely been seeking to, would be a disaster for the people of this world. The Alurannai can't interfere directly with other Nations, but they _can_ help those with the will to do it themselves. We chose to watch over things here along with fifty other Crystals Users also now living in this city, for the sake of the people." She held the vial out to him again. "Now please drink this. We didn't go to all this trouble to have you _die _on us."

The king took hold of the vial, giving Sanaro a long look.

"I expect a full explanation after this, Sanru... If that is even your name."

Sanaro bowed.

"My true name is Sanaro Keru of the Nine Companions, Your Majesty."

Vayla came forward.

"And I and Vayla Targathyr of the Nine Companions, and also of the Alurannai... I apologise for lying to you on my previous visit, but I assure you it was for good reason." She looked at Sanaro. "Please forgive him for his deception, he did it all in Tethe'alla's best interests. Long ago, before the start of the Kharlan War, he was a King's Knight of Tethe'alla just as he is now. His heart has always treasured these lands and their people, and still does."

The King looked from one of them to another several times before shaking his head.

"It seems this world still has much to surprise me with. The second in command of my Knights is in fact an ancient hero, and he comes to be in my service in order to watch over my people on behalf of the legendary Alurannai... I'm not sure this can become much stranger or surprising."

The group members glanced among each other as the king drank the antidote, deciding then and there that revealing he and his daughter weren't the only royals in the room wouldn't be tactful.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The group walked across the Castle Plaza, heading once again for the Noble's District. Their rather eventful morning had ended just before noon, after a quick informal conference with the king and Princess Hilda had convinced both of them to remain quiet about what they had learned. In return Sanaro would be passing the information from his spy network on to the king as well as the Alurannai. As for the Pope, he was now locked in the most secure cell in the castle dungeon... presided over by one Gaea Silverleaf, who had used her wing pack to move the contents of her original office to a more spacious room adjoining the cell block holding the traitorous clergyman. Their names now cleared and the group free to move around without being molested by the Papal Knights, they were now going to spend the rest of the day and the coming night in the comfort of the Wilder residence.

There was one other thing though that was lifting the mood, and that was Zelos Wilder himself; rather happy over his now being at least temporary leader of the Church since it let him do something he'd wanted to for a long time.

They reached the residence, Zelos striding in calling out at the top of his voice.

"Sebastian! Get your butt down here!"

A startled, muffled reply came from the stairs to their left.

"Master Zelos?" The butler who had led Lloyd to the nursery all that time ago appeared at the top of them, pausing in surprise before rushing down. "Master Zelos! You're back!"

Zelos gave the man a smile, the first honest smile he'd ever used in front of any of the group bar Lloyd.

"Yes, and for the time being I'm calling the shots with the Church. 'Pope Potato' has been arrested for treason, so that means I can shake things up a little starting with this. Sack every servant in this estate that you know or suspect is a spy for the Church, and hire replacements after checking them through Sanru and the King. After that get Celes' room prepared... I've ordered her release from the South Eastern Abbey; she's coming home."

The butler seemed almost at a loss for words.

"Sir... That's _wonderful_, Sir! I'll see to it at once." He turned to hurry away, before pausing and looking back. "What about you, Sir, what will you be doing?"

Zelos looked around at his friends.

"Continuing to help my bud and the rest of my friends. The King is going to drag Kartoffel's trial out for as long as possible, which given Tethe'alla's justice system concerning the conviction of high ranked personages it will be a long time. Until he's officially convicted of treason, the Church can't elect another Pope. I'm the leader of Tethe'alla's Church for now, and I'm going to _stay_ leader until we've finished what we've set out to do!"

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Yay for Zelos! I teased him, tortured him, and cheered him up all in one chapter! That was fun!**


	69. The Darkness Within

**Alaia Skyhawk: Shadow Temple now :)**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 69: The Darkness Within

-

"Man, if the road to the temple is this creepy, how bad is it inside?"

Genis sidled around yet another disembodied shadow that drifted across the ancient paved road, which zigzagged up the steep side of the mountain to where the Temple of Darkness lay. They'd arrived at it late the day before, after five weeks of walking south from Meltokio, and had after just a short while stopped to camp on one of the plateaus at the end of a loop. It hadn't even been dark by then, and they hadn't set out the next morning until almost noon... Now they were seeing _why_ Vayla had delayed until the sun was high.

Shadow's Road this path was called, and shadows littered it, haunted it, and only a fool would traverse it during dawn or twilight hours. Those shadows would shift to hide uncertain footing, dart at someone to startle them if they were close to the edge, or would creep up behind the unwary to whisper disjointed wailings into the minds and hearts of their victims. Vayla was doing her best to discourage the things using light spells, but that didn't change the fact that the road was seriously disturbing even her. While she knew of what went on here, she'd never experienced it personally, and to be quite frank she understood all too well now why so few summoners had ever entered the temple to seek a pact with Shadow... Most would have run screaming from this place and the inner darkness of themselves that it made them face.

She frowned, remembering what Yuan had told her of when Mithos had faced Shadow's First Test after being brought to the temple via the Sentinel near the entrance. The expression he'd described as being on the summoner's face after being forced to face his inner darkness had frightened her... To think that after overcoming it, Mithos had then given in to it just a short time later.

She sighed.

"It's not that far now, Genis, we're almost to the top. As for inside, I've never been in there personally but I've been promised that the old Saeniisumura will be there with the Light Staff and a few Light Crystals. Even the Alurannai can't see a thing at the bottom of the temple without it to push back the darkness, and if Shadow's power is still in pieces around the temple we'll have to split up to find them."

A rather uncertain Collette tugged on the woman's sleeve.

"It's _that_ dark in there? And we might have to split up?"

Lloyd fidgeted as he walked nearby, tugging on the collar of his reta.

"Uh, yeah... Ata warned me that if we end up having to do that, the pieces of Shadow's power that we collect will turn into shades to play at being our 'inner darkness'. They'll try to make us give up, scare us into running away, or make us turn on each other..."

Genis stared, aghast.

"WHAT? And you want us to split up knowing that?"

His sister put a hand on his arm.

"Genis, it's alright. If you're that worried I'll stay with you when we split up."

The teenage mage flinched, a little embarrassed.

"No, it's ok, it just creeps me out that's all."

Regal shuddered.

"I think the idea does that to us all. I admit that I too dread experiencing such an encounter, especially given the darkness in my past."

The group fell silent, uneasy, as they finished the climb up the last of the long and high road. When they reached the large open area at the top, with one of the familiar Sentinels standing to one side, there waiting for them beside an opening in the cliff beyond was an alurannai man in a purple reta. When they reached him, he held out the staff he carried along with a net bag containing a number of crystals like the one on the top of the stave.

He nodded as Vayla took them from his grip.

"I regret to inform you that Shadow is still in his sundered state; and in five pieces as far as I can tell. You will have to look for his power to wake him."

She grimaced.

"It can't be helped... Thank you for coming here to meet us."

He nodded once more in acknowledgement before walking off to sit near the Sentinel. He wouldn't be coming inside with them.

Seeing this, Presea frowned.

"He's not coming in?"

Vayla shook her head as she headed into the temple with the group in tow.

"No. When summoners come seeking a pact they must reach the bottom of the temple on their own. The Shadow Saeniisumura's job is to be here to give them the staff, and to carry out any routine maintenance on the temple structure. Pilgrims never come to this temple, so that part of the job doesn't apply here." She paused as the passage they were in suddenly widened as if they'd reached a chamber, but all they could see was endless black which began almost right in front of their faces. "Looks like the darkness still comes all the way to the top; used to be only the bottom levels were like this." She sighed. "Not much to do about it other than put up with it though." She tapped the staff on the floor, the crystal on it's top beginning to blaze with a pale blue glow. That glow pushed the shadows back, revealing a fair amount of the path ahead, up to where a bridge spanned a crevice in the floor. "The entire temple is one vast cavern with a few rock pillars running up through it. All of the pathways are anchored to those, suspended above the darkness. Watch your footing in here, and stay near the middle of the paths at all times unless you're one of the group members who can fly." She set off again, leading them to and over the bridge. In the chamber beyond, having passed through a thick wall, she stopped and handed out the crystals from the net after triggering them. "Each of you go down a different path. If you find a piece of Shadow's power make your way to there and wait. When five people are down there, everyone else go down as well and we'll go to the Seal."

She pointed to a rectangular platform far below, from which a path could be seen descending even further into the darkness. Still uncertain about what they might face, the group then did as asked and split up to walk into the shadows with their lights.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Creeping forward, eyes moving constantly, Lloyd walked down his path clutching his Light Crystal in a white knuckle grip. He could see the lights carried by the others scattered around the chamber, some close enough to see the figure carrying them, others so far away as to be a glimmer of light visible through the mist-like darkness. Those glimpses were the only thing that told him he wasn't alone, and if not for that and his sense of duty he might have turned back already out of fear. He continued to walk, eyes still moving, searching for anything unusual.

_'So the Chosen of Restoration is a scared little boy... How sad...'_

Lloyd flinched in surprise as the voice sounded in his head, spinning round to come face to face with a mirror image of himself. Dark eyes, near back, seemed bore into him from the depths of that deathly pale visage.

"You're!"

The Shade regarded him with amusement.

"A piece of Shadow's power... Yes I supposed I am at the heart of it, but the rest of me is all _you_." It walked towards him, leaning close. "Heh, what a joke of a Chosen _you_ are; I can't believe a wimp like you has already made three Elemental Pacts. You play at being strong and brave, when deep down all you really are is a coward."

Lloyd clenched his fists, glaring.

"Say what you want, you're just my own doubts speaking to me through Shadow's power. Everything of me that you are is something that I've already faced and come to terms with."

It sneered.

"Oh really, and what about the fact that your oh so perfect memory has a hole in it? The escape from the Dragon's Nest is almost a complete blank for you, and everything since then is so blurred that you have to fight to recall any small details." It regarded him with glee. "Oh yes, your body may have recovered by now, but your mind and soul are still playing catch up. You hide it well, but it doesn't change the fact that you lost a piece of your consciousness when you lost control of your burden and it tried to break free. Even now you're still repairing the gap, replacing what was lost, but that part of you will always remain a weakness, a point you will have to keep in an iron grip for the rest of your life in case it should break again."

Lloyd went pale, almost as pale as the spectre before him.

"Th-that's..."

It laughed.

"Not true? We both know it is." It leaned close again. "You're afraid of that power now, when before you just accepted it was there. Now it scares you more than anything, because you know what it's like to lose control of it. You fear it, because it is the reason you are the Chosen of Restoration; and you fear it because you worry the waking of the Seed will cause you to lose control of it again... Don't you?"

Lloyd began to tremble, before shaking himself sharply and striding off towards the path to the area below.

"If that were a risk then the Seed would have told me already! Now just shut your trap and follow me!"

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"Wow... spooky..."

Collette peered at the end of what appeared to be a section of wall that could move outwards across the path, two crystals set into it seeming almost like eyes. Maybe it was something that was part of the trial a Tethe'allan Chosen would have to face, but for now like the other temples this one's trial seemed to be inactive.

She reached out to prod the wall, but froze as a sinister version of her own voice came from her left.

"Well if it isn't the 'Pathetic Chosen'."

She turned, finding herself looking at a red eyed version of herself. She backed up.

"A Shade... Like Lloyd warned..."

It tilted its head, eyes narrowed.

"Oh, him... The boy who can never love you, and will never see you as more than a sister. Poor girl, what a shame..."

Collette flinched.

"I gave up on that after learning about how the Nartana members can only love someone who matches them. Noishe will sense when he meets the one destined for Lloyd, I'm happy with just being an adoptive member of his crèche group. He'll always be a brother to me, and that's enough."

The Shade giggled, a taunting version of Collette's own laugh.

"So you keep telling yourself..." It smiled brightly and skipped over to the unnerved Chosen. "Well then if that's all settled, aren't you supposed to take me somewhere?"

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"Ooo, tough girl! So tough she got over two hundred people killed!"

Sheena gritted her teeth as the Shade kept coming up right behind her to whisper taunts in her ears, just as it had done constantly since she'd literally stepped in a pool of shadow that had then twisted into the spectre which now followed her. She could already see Lloyd waiting at the platform, a similar apparition stalking around him like a circling vulture... She had to wonder what his was saying to him. Her own was having a field day picking out every painful detail it could about the years she'd spent living in Mizuho.

Sighing, she shook her head.

"I don't deny there are people in the village who still hate me for that, but I don't blame myself for it. I was just seven, practically thrown before Volt to make a pact I didn't want, forced to go there against my will. What happened to Mizuho was the result of several mistakes by several people; that there are those in the village who still refuse to see that is just something I'll have to put up with."

She heard the Shade pause before continuing to follow her... It appeared she'd just pulled a lot of its taunting material out from under it. She was just about to congratulate herself when a wave of anger washed over her, and in the corner of her eye she saw Lloyd turn on his doppelganger and punch it. He was very upset by whatever it was saying.

A cold hand gripped the back of her neck, a voice without breath speaking in her ear.

"What about him? You're afraid for him aren't you? You've felt his fear and frustration these past few weeks as he's struggled to adjust to losing what he did... He still acts as he did before, because he has the memories to work from... But until his mind heals, beneath it all, his personality has a piece missing. He's not the Lloyd he was before the Dragon's Nest, and you're afraid he'll never regain that..."

Sheena elbowed the spectre, forcing it to let go and back away. She glared at it.

"Leave him alone. Kratos went through the same thing and _he_ regained what he lost, so Lloyd will too!"

She turned and strode off towards the path down, the Shade smiling with malicious amusement at striking a nerve.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"Wow, what a cess pit _your_ mind is. All those women you've flirted with, toyed with, and all to keep people at a distance... It's no wonder no one trusts you."

Zelos clenched his fists, resisting the urge to turn and pummel the smirk off his doppelganger's face.

"Call me what you like... It wouldn't be the first time I've been insulted. I've been called pretty much every word for womaniser, pervert, jerk, etc, so whatever you might come up with will hardly be new."

The Shade frowned as it followed him, clearly baffled.

"You don't think like a human... Why?"

The Chosen blinked, and then grinned.

"Ah, so there's a loophole as to how much you can pick up from my mind... Let me guess, you can only see the dark things there. Stands to reason then why you can't see why I'm different from other humans... What a jackass _you_ are, trying to make me give up by using things that would bother them but not me."

It glowered at him angrily.

"So what if you have light in your past, there's still plenty of darkness both there and in your heart. You have the capacity to kill, and would have killed a certain Pope long ago if the chance had ever arose."

Zelos stopped, turning to regard the pale faced, dark eyed copy of himself.

"Yes, I wanted to kill him... For what he did to my father, Kara, and Celes. For stealing my childhood from me for nothing more than personal power, and for stealing my sister's by locking her in that prison of an abbey. I admit there have been times when I've stood behind him, tempted to reach for my sword and run the bastard through, but I never did because it would have meant betraying everything Hiria taught me. She always said to me that life, all life, should be cherished. That I should never take a life unless it is necessary to defend my life or the lives of those I protect. As I know now what she was quoting, Third Precept of the Alurannai: They who attack another with intent to harm, in doing so acknowledge that they may be killed in defence of those whom they attack. Give it up, pal, you're wasting your time dredging the gutters of my past."

The spectre seemed almost shocked.

"You were raised by an alurannai... Now that's not fair... They're so forgiving of mistakes that bringing up their past is a waste of time..."

Zelos laughed.

"And now you get my point!"

It narrowed its eyes.

"Oh well, I'll just have to pick at present worries and darkness, and those of the future. Even the Alurannai don't like facing that..." It slid up behind its target, sinister laughing filling the air. "Let's see what I can find in your mind that you're worried about right now..."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"Alicia!" A finger poked a shoulder. "Alicia!" And again. "Alicia! Hehehehe!"

The pink haired Shade danced around Presea, giggling like the young girl it appeared to be... The young girl Presea had lost to the Angelus Project eighteen years ago. Blue eyes refusing to watch the spectre, she strode down the ramp to the platform where four of the rest of the group waited with pale faced copies. Vayla had already spotted her going down, and her mental shout had alerted the remaining searchers to head down as well.

She kept going.

"Alicia is at peace now, just like Daddy, and Vharley is dead. The Pope is in prison, and Kate, who was forced to carry out the experiment for him, is now free and living with the Elves. Taunting me with my sister's name will do nothing."

The Shade continued to skip about like a young girl.

"Oh but what about 'Mr Rodyle', he's still wandering free and laughing at you." It leaned in close. "...And what about the one who actually killed her... You want revenge, don't you?"

Presea's expression darkened.

"Regal loved Alicia, and still does... He killed her because she asked him to, and he regrets it even now. He is as much a victim as she was."

It smiled.

"But he's still the one who killed her... Still the one who took your precious little sister away from you."

"...!"

Presea bit back a retort, determined not to give the spectre the reaction it wanted. It was then that she reached the platform, Sheena looking up from where she sat as she arrived.

"So you're 'lucky' person number five. These things are seriously getting on my nerves... Especially _that_ one."

She indicated the Zelos' Shade, which was leering at her in a rather disturbing way.

It smirked.

"What's the matter, hunny... You still don't want to play nice with me?"

As Sheena sighed Collette walked over, glancing back as Presea's Shade went over to her own and the pair began to giggle.

"They're all really creepy, and Sheena's and Lloyd's keep bothering him about something so much I've seen him lash out at them... I've never seen him do that before. He's shouted at people in the past back in Iselia for hurting him that way, but he's never been _this _angry before. It's like he's a different person from the way I remember him being before Rodyle kidnapped me."

Presea glanced at the nearby Nartu, worried.

"I hope everyone gets down here soon. The sooner we get rid of those things the sooner we can leave this place and its darkness."

And so they settled down to wait, as the darkness from within themselves continued to circle them like the damned.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Man that would be so creepy if it could happen in real life. (Shivers) I seriously wouldn't want to know what mine would dredge up if it could.**


	70. Facing Shadow

**Alaia Skyhawk: Man, this is creepy writing Lloyd like this...**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 70: Facing Shadow

-

Five pairs of glaring eyes stared back at her, the ebon haired alurannai woman walking a circle around them as she inspected them.

"Yes, that's all of them; together they add up to the amount of power one of the Elemental Summon Spirits have. We can go down to the Seal now."

"'We can go down to the Seal now'... Oh goody..."

That sarcastic comment came from the red eyed blond, Collette's Shade beginning to giggle in that disturbing way it had done on and off since it had formed, the group looking on rather uncomfortably.

Genis shivered.

"That is seriously starting to scare me..."

Vayla wasn't impressed by the display however.

"So we have a Collette copy that's acting like a cutesy Pronyma, a Presea copy acting like a twelve year old sadist, a Zelos copy acting like the pervert he himself pretends to be, one of Sheena who is just being generally obnoxious, and one of Lloyd who seems intent on pushing his luck...

The Lloyd copy shrugged.

"Not my fault he's a wimp who can't take having his nose rubbed in his fears. Isn't that right, Lloydie boy?" It leaned close to the youth in question, earning another swing from Lloyd's fist. It dodged backwards, smirking. "Too slow, as usual."

Lloyd clenched his teeth, fists clenched so hard his knuckles were white. Looking away from the Shade, he got up and headed for the path to the lower levels.

"Let's just get this over with..."

There was something about his tone that was almost as sinister as the Shade, that something making Vayla hesitate.

_Perhaps coming here wasn't such a good idea right now... We should have turned back when we learnt Shadow was still sundered._

She might have called it off, but Lloyd was already heading down the path forcing the rest of the group and the accompanying Shades to follow. All she could do was hurry to the front and lead the way down what would seem to be an almost endless succession of stairways. The Temple of Darkness was deep, and it would take a while to reach the bottom.

"Oh dear, Myrta is worried about something... I wonder what?" Vayla flinched as the copy of her daughter came up beside her, drawing a smirk from it. "Could it be that she's worried about little Lloyd losing it? He _does_ have a few screws loose right now... And they're getting looser, heh."

Lloyd averted his eyes.

"Just shut up and leave me alone..."

"'Shut up and leave me alone' he says. Poor thing..."

Red eyes beneath blond hair, peered over his shoulder, Collette's copy then being dragged backwards by the girl herself. It struggled to break free, but the girl's angelic strength made that impossible as she glared at it.

"Stop picking on him! I thought you were supposed to pick on me?"

Her copy stopped struggling and tilted its head.

"But he's more fun..."

"Yes, he is..." Presea's copy moved to approach him, but was stopped when Regal grabbed it. It started trying to get away, scratching and biting though hampered somewhat by the shackles he wore. "Let go of me, murderer!"

His expression grim, he maintained his grip despite the scratches he was picking up.

"Perhaps we should restrain all of them."

Zelos nodded.

"Good point..." He grabbed his copy, getting it in a headlock before proceeding to drag it head first down the stairs behind him. Ignoring its cursing, he continued. "Sheena's slapped me twice by mistake because of this thing trying to feel her up, and I'd rather that not happen again."

The two remaining Shades made a run for it, only Lloyd's escaping as Sheena's was subdued by Genis and Raine. The Lloyd copy was now in the air above the stairs below them, suspended there by black replicas of Lloyd's scarlet wings. It stared at them darkly as they stood watching it.

"So you think you can shut me up? Well have fun trying because you'll have to catch me first... and if I fly off you can't get the pact with Shadow." It sneered. "Poor poor Lloyd... His mind all messed up because of what happened when he touched the ground after the Dragon's Nest."

Lloyd gritted his teeth, his eyes fixed on the floor.

"Shut up!"

It laughed.

"Such a small amount of damage, but to such a precious thing... It must hurt to remember feeling a certain way but being unable to anymore..."

Raine stared.

"What?" She turned to Vayla. "What's wrong with Lloyd?"

The alurannai woman shook her head.

"It's nothing to worry about... Just a minor side effect; Lloyd will heal fully within a few more months."

Another laugh came from the Shade.

"So that's what the Alurannai call it..."

Lloyd looked up at it, his teeth bared.

"I said shut up!!"

It tilted its head and regarded him.

"Part of his very soul and consciousness is ripped away, torn to shreds, obliterated from existence, and they call it a 'minor side effect'... You're so messed up right now that you struggle just to remember the detail of what day of the week it is..."

Lloyd began to advance down the stairs, his wings bristling as his voice went deadly quiet.

"If you don't shut your mouth..."

A smile...

"A mind so damaged right now that where once all detail was remembered perfectly, now only events and the gist of conversations remain within easy grasp... You met the Saeniisumura just over an hour ago and even now you have to strain to recall what he looked like... if you can remember at all..."

The young Nartu lunged at the Shade.

"_I SAID SHUT UP!!_"

He ploughed into it, sending both himself and his copy tumbling down the stairway to sprawl on one of the many platforms that connected each section. Vayla raced down after them, and hauled the enraged Lloyd off of his doppelganger.

"Lloyd! That's enough!"

No sooner than he was pulled back that anger turned to hysteria; the youth clutching at his head as he screamed.

"_Why do I have to feel like this?! Why can't I remember like I should?! Why can't I feel things like I should?!_"

He tried to break free of her grip, oblivious to the shocked expressions of the rest of the group. Forcing him to stillness, Vayla shook him sharply to get his attention.

"_Lloyd, do you remember me?_"

He stared at her face, swallowing before speaking.

"Y-yes..."

She kept her eyes on his.

"And do you remember all of your friends who are here with you? ...Remember your family and everyone who believes in you?"

He nodded.

"...Yes..."

She began to loosen her grip.

"Do you remember why we're here?"

His breathing began to slow.

"Yes."

She let go of him.

"Then you remember all that matters... The small details you can't recall from the last few months, they don't matter. Your mind will recover with time, and your ability to feel protective of and to car about those around you will return, but not if you keep stressing yourself like that. Calm down and think things through, and what's going on with you right now won't be so frightening."

Genis' looked confused.

"Lloyd doesn't care about us anymore?"

The youth in question began to stammer.

"I-I... I want to b-but..."

Vayla silenced him, speaking for him.

"The foremost thing in Lloyd's mind, when he touched the ground after we escaped the Dragon's Nest, was his desire to keep those he cared about safe. This meant that when his power slipped from his control that part of his soul and consciousness took the full brunt of it and was destroyed." She sighed. "Lloyd protects everyone here because he can remember wanting to... but right now he's incapable of feeling that way. If one of you were to be attacked right now he'd feel no desire to defend you, and that's what's scaring him so much... Kratos was the same, after the Mana Cannon." She looked away. "He was on the ground unable to control his power for over three minutes, and only his training kept the damage from being too extensive. For over two years afterwards Kratos pretty much shut himself away since he was having so much trouble remembering the little things. During that time, while he acted for the sake of it, he felt no desire at all to protect the world or the people. He sought to stop the cannon to protect the world and them, and that was the part of him that was shattered when he lost control. He only stopped hiding himself away when he'd healed enough that the desire to began to return, and it was then that he set about helping to build the Mana Links. Lloyd will regain his lost feelings, and soon since his power slipped free for only a second. He has nothing to be ashamed of."

Silence fell, to be broken by the still floored Shade.

"He does... because he's a coward who was too afraid to admit to his friends that he no longer cared about them..."

Vayla turned on the spectre before hauling it up by its throat.

"And you will say not another word, or Shade or not I'll beat you to within an inch of existence!" She kept hold of it, dragging it behind her as it clutched at her wrist. "Let's go, wake up Shadow, and make that pact."

Lloyd followed shakily after her, the group scrambling to catch up after standing in stunned and confused silence for several seconds. It didn't take long to reach the Seal after that, the five Shades released from their captors to walk to a spot before the altar. They glanced at the group and glared one last time, before all five dissolved into black mist which then solidified into the twisted human approximation that was Shadow, the Summon Spirit of Darkness.

He regarded the group with slit-like red eyes, Lloyd and Sheena stepping forward and speaking together.

"We are Lloyd Aurion and Alysii Targathyr. We seek a pact with Shadow, and ask that you anulst thy pact with Mithos, and by our right as alurannai, establish a new join pact with us."

The Spirit continued to stare at them.

**...Choose...**

Sheena glanced over her shoulder.

"Vayla and Collette."

The two women came forward, a barrier of darkness appearing to keep the rest of the group from interfering. As soon as weapons and wings were drawn, Shadow spoke again.

**...Fight...**

He darted towards them, as formless and swift as the shadow that was his namesake. The glitter of the four fighters' wings was the signal, as one after another they began to barrage the Spirit with Ethereal Magic, which was almost entirely composed of light element spells. Feathers ripped into him, shards of light rained down from above, coming from just two it would have defeated him, but coming from four it was somewhat on the side of overkill.

Breathing heavily from the exertion of casting so much magic, Lloyd regarded the Spirit.

"That enough for you?"

Shadow looked back as he had done at the start, again uttering just a single word.

**...Vow...**

Lloyd, still shaken from the incident on the stairs, spoke again with Sheena.

"We Vow for the sake of all, to do what we must to restore the mana for the sake of the World."

Shadow nodded, dissolving into dark fragments that drifted to the pair to become rings set with amethyst.

**...Agreed...**

The fourth pact had been made...

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The camp was quiet, tense, the members of the group sitting around the fire barely touching their food. It had been like this since the pact had been made, everyone walking on eggshells and glancing at Lloyd out of the corner of their eye. Whatever act he'd been keeping up, feigning being protective, feigning caring about them, he'd now dropped it; becoming a quiet, disinterested bystander at the edge of the close knit collection of people. It was unnerving to see him so distant, and made it clear just how good an actor he'd been during the two months since the Dragon's Nest. None of them who hadn't known the truth had suspected a thing.

He prodded his sandwich with a finger, a sigh passing his lips.

"Would you please stop staring at me? I'm not about to freak out again if that's what you're worried about."

Collette put her plate down, pulling her knees up below her chin and putting her arms around them.

"Lloyd... Do you really not care about us right now?"

He bit his lip, closing his eyes.

"Like I said before; I want to, but I can't... I can't even care about my _parents_ right now, everything in that part of me just feels... _dead_..." He bowed his head. "I remember touching the ground after the Dragon's Nest, and how I was desperate to keep you all safe, and then in an instant that part of me was just shredded. I've never felt pain like that before... _ever_... I was so confused when I woke up that I never realised what had happened at first, and then a short while later I looked at you all and realised I felt nothing for you. You were like strangers to me, that's the best way I can describe it. So after that I just remembered how I used to feel, and pretended."

Raine glanced over at the woman who was currently acting as Lloyd's guardian.

"Vayla, how long can we expect him to remain like this?"

The alurannai woman grimaced.

"Anywhere from another two to four months, which is why I'm changing our travel plans. To be frank I made a mistake bringing him here in his condition, so now I'm going to make sure he's back to normal before he and Sheena make any more pacts."

Regal sat upright.

"We aren't going to fly to the Flanoir Base?"

She shook her head.

"No... Lloyd needs quiet to speed his recovery, so we're going to _sail_ to the Flanoir Base instead. It will take about six months on the Skimmer if we go from the coast east of here, more than enough time for his mind and soul to finish repairing the damage they sustained; he'll be back to normal by the time we arrive." She looked around at them all. "A Renegade base is no place for him to recuperate, so this is the next best option. Either way it will be a few months before you can head to the Temple of Ice, and we're not in a hurry right now, so there's no sense in rushing things."

Raine began to take on a distinctly green tinge.

"Six months at sea on the Skimmer?"

Her brother shrugged.

"Put is this way... at least we don't have to walk."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Well, this is the first 'real' info I've given about the 'Nartana's Burden' and what it does to them. Anyways, next chapter gives the Restoration Group a break and some other people some page time. 'Normal' Lloyd will return the chapter after that. :)**

**Oh, on the note of the battle with Shadow, the '2 would beat him, 4 is overkill' is based on my experience of fighting him. Every time I would have Collette spam Angel Feathers and Raine spam Photon and he'd keel over unbelievably easy, so the way I see it 4 WOULD be overkill XD**


	71. Trusting a Friend

**Alaia Skyhawk: Yay! People showing up again!**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 71: Trusting a Friend

-

A pen tapped on the desk, storm grey eyes reading over yet another patrol report from Sylvarant. With only two of the four Ranches remaining, and one of those being close to a non-aggression zone, things had been quiet on that front in the past year and a half. At best guess both Ranches were operating at only half their capacity... well with the Iselia Ranch it wasn't a guess due to Patch's regular reports, which meant that Yggdrasil was anticipating getting his hands on Collette at some point. He would no doubt then fully switch the mana flow, the Desians would be shifted to Tethe'alla, and Sylvarant would have its turn to flourish. It was a typical winding down of activities on the declining world, one which had been seen many times over the past four thousand years.

Yuan sighed.

"Talk about monotonous these past months. Bar heart attacks caused by Lloyd and his friends our own operations have been almost dead." The transmitter built into the desk's surface bleeped, the lightning mage sorting the mess of papers before him into a pile before idly accepting the signal. "What is it?"

There was a faint crackle on the line, wind over the microphone, but it did nothing to obscure the familiar voice he hadn't heard in over eighteen months.

"Nice to hear you, Crystal Waters... Would you mind hitching a lift to the Hill Spire Sentinel? We need to talk."

Yuan broke out into a grin.

"Kratos! I was beginning to think you'd forgotten me! I'll be there in about ten minutes."

The alurannai man laughed.

"I'll be waiting. See you then."

The connection closed, Yuan getting up from the desk and leaving his office. Heading down the hall, he stuck his head briefly into Botta's office to let his Second know he was going out on an errand, striding away after that in the direction of the base's main exit. Once outside he paused to look at the falling snow, then spread his violet wings to fly toward the Western Iceflow Sentinel; Flanoir Base's supply gate like the North Triet Sentinel was the gate for the Triet Base's supplies. There was a jiisumura already waiting there ready for him, Kratos probably having sent the one from Hill Spire. Ice was soon replaced by the fringe of a great forest, and the once lush green but now sickly pale grass of the Giant Tree's Meadow extending away from it.

The jiisumura left as Kratos came up the side of the hill. He looked a little worse for wear, his clothing in need of some attention, but as he'd been living rough and on the run for eighteen months that was hardly surprising.

He took Yuan by the arm, leading him down the hill to sit beneath the nearby trees.

"I'd like you to tell me how things are going with Lloyd and the others. I've only ever stopped to put a word out now and then that I was fine, but haven't stayed long enough to get reports beyond that he too was alright. It's about time I caught up to speed."

As the alurannai man settled himself against a tree trunk, Yuan frowned before doing the same.

"You called me out here for that? Why not just ask the jiisumura who brought me here?"

Kratos chuckled.

"And pass up on an excuse to have a chat with one of my best friends? No, I'd rather hear it from you."

The lightning mage smiled.

"Well at least leading Pronyma around all this time hasn't made you lose your sense of humour." He sighed. "Well to answer your question, the group has three new members in it now; Zelos Wilder, Presea Combatir, and Regal Bryant. All three are included in Dallinius' geas, and have fully earned the trust to be allowed to help with the Plan. Turns out Zelos wasn't the wasted opportunity we thought he was, since he was trained by Hiria far better than any of us knew even in the short time she had. I spoke to him when the group was at the base three months ago, and quite frankly the man thinks more like an alurannai than a human, and he's just as devious. Presea Combatir is a human from Ozette, and we've learnt in the time she's been with the group that she was being used for an Angelus Project being run by Pope Kartoffel and Rodyle. She was like a puppet, soulless, but has been cured through use of a Key Crest by Lloyd and the others. Lastly, Regal Bryant... _The_ Bryant that owns and is president of the Lezareno Company. His lack of being on view the past couple of years was due to him voluntarily serving time for murder... He killed a woman he was in a relationship with, after she was taken to be used for Rodyle's Angelus Project and was returned as an Exbelua when she failed to be compatible. He killed her out of mercy after she begged him to, and now he's helping us for the sake of preventing any more victims like her and Presea. The woman, Alicia, was Presea's sister, so understandably both he and Presea want to see this system end more than anything."

Kratos' expression had darkened at the mention of the Angelus Project.

"I agree, all three sound like good additions to the group... Any progress on the Plan?"

Yuan tapped his fingers on his leg as he looked up at the branches overhead.

"Collette has been returned to normal, after which the group headed to see a dwarf, called, Altessa, who is living near Ozette. They learned there from his assistant of how to cure Presea, and then made a Sentinel side trip to the Toize Valley Mine to get inhibitor ore to make a crest. When they returned to the village to cure her, Rodyle attacked and snatched Collette. He got away with her, and after visiting Mizuho and teaming up with Vayla and Mika the group went to see Volt so they could use the Rhieards without having to worry about recharging them." Kratos flinched, Yuan reassuring him. "Don't worry, Volt got flattened by Sheena when she summoned Verius, who I might add has regained enough power to assume his Greater Form. They headed to the base after that, before going to Altamira where they learned of Alicia's fate and of Regal's true identity. That was two and a half months ago, and the jiisumura tracked Collette down to the Dragon's Nest by then."

Kratos flinched again.

"Lloyd and the others went there? That place is a death trap at the moment!"

Yuan grimaced.

"They went with an escort of twenty Alurannai guards... They got her out, but a trap laid by Rodyle, comprised of about two hundred tamed winged dragons, forced Lloyd to use those Shield Crystals you gave him..."

The Inartu gripped Yuan's arm.

"What happened?"

The lightning mage averted his eyes.

"Lloyd overdid it with whatever ability it is the Nartana have, and it did some damage to him when he touched the ground after they'd escaped the nest... I got a message from Vayla saying Lloyd lost the ability to care about those around him because of it. She says he's recovering, but still having trouble adjusting to that being missing. That combined with the memory trouble that came with the damage has been causing him a lot of frustration. He was fine when they went and got the pact with Gnome, and was having no trouble hiding it from the others; but two weeks ago, when they were at the Shadow Temple, Shadow was still split and one part played at being Lloyd's Inner Darkness... The other four pieces, which had copied others in the group, all ended up working with it to agitate Lloyd over what he was hiding. It ended with Lloyd flying into a rage before going into hysterics. Vayla calmed him down, and they got the pact, but she then changed their plans and they're sailing back to the base rather than flying. That skimmer, even with the Rhieard engines, is still only about a fifth as fast as our one from back during the war, it's going to be a little over five more months before the twisted route they'll have to take around the continents will get them back to Flanoir. Vayla said Lloyd should be back to normal by then, since she's going to keep him on bed rest until he's recovered."

Kratos had gone pale at the tale of events, but allowed himself a sigh of relief at the last statement.

"That's good to hear; I know he'll be fine in her care. Believe me, Yuan, while physical strength and stamina return after only a short while, mental stamina destroyed by losing control of that ability takes a lot longer to return... I was so bad after the Mana Cannon that it was over two years before my mind had fully caught up with me again, and for most of the time in between my memory is blurred slightly. I remember the majority of details, but the smaller things I have to fight to recall since my soul and consciousness took such a pounding..."

Yuan frowned.

"I still wish you would tell me what happened to you that day, especially now that Lloyd has been through similar. I hate having to worry over it so much since I don't know what I'm dealing with. I'm even more curious since learning that your 'burden' is the reason Lloyd is our Chosen." He sighed in frustration. "There's nothing I hate more than family hiding things from each other."

Kratos winced, hesitating before coming to a decision.

"...I'll tell you, Yuan, because I regard you as a brother. Speak of it to _no one_."

Yuan looked at him, surprised.

"You're going to tell me?" Kratos paused for a moment before nodding. "Then you have my word that it will never pass my lips, and I will remain silent about it unto the grave."

Kratos took a deep breath to steady himself.

"Alright, this is what you wanted to know... The Nartana are what we call Alurankhar, and this is what that means..."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"I wonder where First went. He had one of those tiny smiles on his face when I walked past him near the exit... Last card and out."

Tia put her entire hand of eleven cards down on the three stacks between her, Galen, and Henre, the latter throwing his hand of cards onto the table... This being the eighth time in a row that the half-elven woman had thrashed him at Tridec.

"Who knows, he's 'gone out for some fresh air' quite a lot lately... Geeze, why did we have to be out on assignment when Lloyd and the others were here? We get back two weeks later and they'd already left, leaving us stuck in the base with nothing to do but train and play cards."

Galen sighed.

"Well First _did_ hint that he had another assignment he wanted us to do, but that it wasn't time for it yet. I figure he's gonna give us some more time off before sending us out on it."

"If you think I'm going to let you lounge around slacking off for the next several months you're sadly mistaken."

The door of the Steady Nine's barracks had opened, the aforementioned lightning mage entering with an expression of amusement.

The nine occupants of the room got to their feet and saluted.

"Sir!"

He shook his head at the slightly lacking enthusiasm.

"Hmm, I know you don't enjoy being under my command as much as Kratos', but please, be a little more upbeat when I come in to tell you I've just been to speak with him."

Firatai blinked, as did the rest of them.

"You've spoken to the Commander? _What did he say?_"

Yuan began to chuckle.

"It was mainly to check up on how Lloyd was doing, but we also discussed a certain matter that needs to be attended to since once they have the pact with Celsius, Lloyd and the others will be returning to Sylvarant to get the three remaining pacts there... You nine, along with several technicians, are going to learn how to manage and guard a Mana Cannon..."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Why am I bringing the 'Burden' up so much now, you ask? Because not too long from now I'll be telling you what it is (Grins) Let's see who figures it out before then...**


	72. Long Time off the Map

**Alaia Skyhawk: And now back to the gang.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 72: Long Time off the Map

-

The sound that echoed into the docking cavern was the resonance of a Rhieard engine, but the discordant jarring squeals and shrieks were definitely _not _normal. The sleek twenty meter long skimmer glided across the surface of the water towards a narrow box-like structure set into the dock wall, its engines continuing to make the technicians in the cavern wince much like the occupants of the ship's engine compartment.

"Zelos! Stop revving the engines like that or you'll stall them! I know the squealing is getting on your nerves, but for Spirits' sake just stop pussy footing around and dock the ship!"

Lloyd's shout had come up through the open maintenance hatch at the rear of the lower cabins, the alurannai youth working alongside Genis and Presea to keep the now complaining engines going. The last six months had led to some skill improvements among the members of the group, lessons given to ease the tedium of being stuck on a ship with little to do but talk about topics already done to death or to play cards. The trio in the engine compartment had chosen to learn about maintaining them, since not long after they'd made a stop at Altamira for supplies the things had started acting up from the constant usage of pushing the ship for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It was the one major flaw in Yuan's design... Not even back during the war had the Red Hawk been run constantly for more that week or two, and had always gotten routine maintenance after each jaunt... The poor Rhieard engines powering the Skimmer were now seriously suffering despite the now adept trio of mechanics cajoling them to keep going for just a little bit longer.

Their new skills in engine maintenance also made the three somewhat proprietary... when the ship's pilot kept unnecessarily placing extra strain on them...

Zelos winced at what was the fifth time that day he'd been told off for the same error, mentally thanking the Spirits that the engines had held up long enough to get back to the Flanoir Base. After the first sign of trouble from that department, Vayla had given him a crash course in piloting the Skimmer so that she could then go teach Lloyd, Genis, and Presea, she piloting in the night while he did the day shift. Once the three were competent, and she'd assured herself that the Tethe'allan Chosen could handle the ship, she'd begun teaching medicine to her daughter, Raine, and Collette during the day instead, the former two also getting lessons in healing arts. The last remaining occupant of the skimmer, for the Spirits and Protozoans had elected to entertain themselves elsewhere until the group had reached the base, Regal had ended up becoming the ship's cook, not that he complained since he enjoyed the task. Thus had gone the last three of the six month trip, and to be quite frank by now Raine wasn't the only one looking forward to being on dry land again.

The Skimmer slid into the dry dock, the doors on the end closing behind it before the water began to drain out and the maintenance rack rose up from below to meet the descending ship and then lift it back up level with the dockside.

Zelos got up from the pilot's chair, breathing a sigh of relief as he headed for his cabin to grab his bags. When he emerged on deck with them shortly after the Renegade technicians had already extended the walkway from it to the dockside, allowing the Chosen and the others on the ship to debark once they were ready.

He sighed as he crossed it and made a beeline for the exit. Right now he wanted nothing more than to head for one of the guest rooms and lie down.

"Man... If anyone ever says to me again that a long cruise is fun... they're gonna get some sense knocked into them..."

Behind him the other various members of the group were also making their move, Regal and Vayla likewise looking as though they were headed for some quiet time in a guest room. Raine and Collette were talking about going to see if Brinia was here at the Flanoir Base, and Lloyd, Genis, and Presea were all staying put and talking to the technicians. Looks like those three were going to hang around and help fix the craft's abused engines.

Shaking his head at yet another show of proprietary over the craft, he walked through the exit to go get his deserved lie down.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"So, Vayla, how did it go?"

Yuan looked up from where he sat at his desk, gesturing with one hand to indicate the slouch chair that was set ready for her to sit in. He must have carried it out of the much smaller apartment he had in this base, whose furniture was limited to three of those chairs and a plain bed, unlike the well furnished suite he maintained in Triet.

Sitting down in it, she sighed.

"Lloyd's back to normal... I knew he was getting better just after Altamira, when the engines broke down. When I prized one of the covers off and a fan blade shard flew past me, he dragged me away from it and started yelling at me for being careless. After that he insisted I teach him to fix them himself, and since it was an incident with them that got that first protective response from him I did as he asked." She shook her head. "I'll say one thing, Yuan, for a man who put so much effort into doing all the force calculations for that Skimmer down to the last inch, I'm surprised you never thought to check how those Rhieard engines would hold up under that kind of constant strain... When this is over we'll have to tell Kratos about that problem so he can redesign them. Those engines are more mana efficient than hydro drives, and we're going to need to be able to supply Skimmers of commercial level reliability and high mana efficiency to the people once the worlds are reunited. We need the two sides to be able to reach each other and interact easily, or they'll just stay isolated from each other."

Yuan looked a little embarrassed at his slip up, but accepted it gracefully.

"Pass word to him through the jiisumura as soon as you get the chance. When I spoke to him two weeks after you set off in the Skimmer he mentioned how monotonous it was leading Pronyma around by the nose, without anything else to think about other than worrying about Lloyd. Give him half a chance and he'll probably come up with something to solve the reliability problem before we've germinated the new Kharlan Tree." He leaned back in his chair. "We just have to hope everything goes to plan... I do _not_ want to think about what Breuntas would have to do if something went wrong."

Vayla was startled.

"Y-you know about that?"

The lightning mage winced.

"Yeah, Kratos told me... I knew there was something weird about the Nartana after what I saw that day at the Mana Cannon, but I would never have guessed it was that."

The alurannai woman averted her eyes.

"Everyone has their secrets and their reasons... The Alurankhar and the Alurannai are no different; it's just the way things are." She got up and headed for the door. "I'll see if I can track Kratos down and deliver the design request personally. Now that Lloyd is healed, he and the others are more than capable of making the remaining Elemental Pacts alone. It's been three and a half years since their journey began, and he and Sheena are so much stronger now... I'd even say they were almost strong enough to end this. We've given them the time they needed, and by the time the last Elemental Pacts are theirs and the Hourglass System is in our hands, they should be ready to take back the Seed."

She left the room, Yuan remaining to resume his duties as the Leader of the Renegades. Close to ready or not, there was still a lot of work to do.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The blond haired Chosen gently lifted the injured man's arm, sliding a splint under it before efficiently binding the broken limb to it with bandage. Another brisk movement to check that everything was secure, and she smiled down at her patient.

"Be careful working in the storerooms from now on. You don't want to go dropping any more boxes on yourself."

Collette left the man to rest, stepping outside the curtain around his bed and closing it behind her. It was then that the woman who had been discretely watching her spoke.

"You've got a natural talent for that... You're happy and caring nature puts those around you at ease and helps them relax." Brinia smiled, indicating to her cousin that she should follow. "I wish I'd gotten the chance to speak with you the last time you were here... but that idiot of a First forgot to send word to the Triet Base telling me to transfer. So I came right after that, and stayed. I don't care how much he complained about my insisting on upgrading the medical facility here." She shook her head. "I had _no_ idea the Med Wing in this base was so short on equipment. I don't care if Tethe'alla is flourishing right now, only a fool would assume it won't be needed."

Collette chuckled; this first time talking to and getting to know her cousin being a fun one. Brinia respected Yuan, but had a no nonsense approach to reprimanding him when she thought he'd done something stupid. But beneath it all she was as caring and compassionate as Collette herself.

"You're happy I'm learning medicine, aren't you? I may not be able to use healing arts, but I can still do so much with herbs and other things. I want to help out like that, once all this is over."

The Renegade medic stopped and regarded her.

"You must be a mind reader, Collette, because that's exactly what _I_ plan to do once Cruxis is gone. I'm planning on travelling around teaching medicine to people around the world, so that those that suffer right now because knowledge was lost, won't have to suffer anymore."

Collette looked surprised, but then broke out into her trademark sunny smile.

"Really? Could... Could I help you do that? Not all the time, but maybe just a little when I won't be doing things to close down the Church? That's going to take a long time, and Zelos and I won't risk rushing it in case it causes the people to panic or become angry, so I'll have time to help out now and then."

Brinia smiled back, a smile that could match her cousin's sunbeam for sunbeam.

"I'd like that."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The brown haired half-elf entered the room, a look of relief on his face as he closed the door behind him. Glancing at him with a raised eyebrow, the Mizuhoan woman sat on the couch, in what was an informal common room for guests, gave him a smile.

"You look like you've just had a close escape, Botta... What was it this time?"

The Renegade Second sighed, sitting himself down on a chair placed between Mika's couch and the one sat on by a certain silver haired mage.

"My sister and Collette... I crossed paths with them as they were on their way to her quarters from the Med Wing. Raine is still down there, but the two of them wanted the chance to chat... I got the sinking feeling that Brinia was going to get out Mother's album of photos from when the two of us were little, so I made my excuses and came here instead."

Genis tried to hide a smile.

"Yeah, I'm not sure if I were as old as you I'd want to be there while my sister discussed baby pictures with someone." He frowned. "Though how old are you exactly, I never thought to ask before."

Botta leaned back into his chair.

"I'm one hundred and fifty, and Brinia is one hundred and forty-seven; of course compared to some members of the organisation, the two of us are still rather young."

Mika snorted.

"You mean Kaleian? Reality check, Botta, compared to him _everyone_ in this organisation, no scratch that, almost everyone in the _world_ is young compared to that guy. Bar the Summon Spirits, Protozoans, and that Yasin guy from the Alurannai, the rest of us are like toddlers." Her expression became secretive. "Oh and I wouldn't assume Raine is still in the Med Wing... I saw Ianir heading down that way just a while ago. He's probably going to take her on a moonlit stroll in the snow."

Genis coughed into his hand.

"Ah yeah, her boyfriend. She still hasn't admitted to me that she's dating him, but I'd have to be blind not to see she's completely lost on the guy." He frowned. "Come to think of it, she still hasn't introduced me to him yet. Geeze does she think I'm going to freak out? I'm sixteen in five weeks; I'm not a little kid anymore."

Botta reached over and ruffled Genis' hair.

"Well then this is my last time to do this... When you're sixteen you'll be a man and men don't like getting their hair mused up as if they're little."

Genis leapt to his feet, pulling the Second from his seat before tackling him to the floor, now being only two inches shorter than the man he massed more than enough now to knock him over.

"Then as a 'kid' this is my last chance to get my own back like this! Let's see how tough you are now, Botta!"

The two of them continued to tussle on the floor as an amused Mika looked on, Botta's voice rising above the fray.

"Genis! For Spirit's sake stop ticking me!"

"Make me!"

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"Hey, Inanu Yuan! Long time no see!"

Lloyd and Sheena ran into the small apartment from the connecting office, almost flattening the lightning mage as they hugged him. Chuckling at their enthusiasm, he led them over to the slouch chairs of which all three were back in their normal places.

"It's good to see you again. You've both given me more than a few heart attacks these past few months... especially you, Lloyd."

Lloyd winced.

"Ah yeah, that. I'm fine now, and there's no way I'll be pulling a stunt like _that_ again. No way in hell am I going to risk it." He tilted his head. "So how are things for you? We haven't heard all that much while we were travelling."

Yuan smiled.

"Changing the subject I see." He shook his head. "I can't blame you. Well, for goings on around here, it's not been much. The only really interesting things were when I spoke to your father five months ago, and I set the Steady Nine to prepare for their next assignment." He chuckled. "They were enthusiastic at first, but then they found out that I wasn't going to risk writing text books for them. That means they have to get lessons directly from me and memorise them. It seems getting lessons from a five thousand and four year old half-elf is daunting for the poor souls."

Both Lloyd and Sheena burst out laughing, the latter grinning.

"We'll just have to go and cheer them up then during their next lesson. When is it?"

Yuan looked at the clock on his wall.

"I can hold it now if you like... It's only six in the morning..."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: After all the angst and depression it was about time I did some fluff. Well then, onwards to Flanoir!**


	73. Snowy City

**Alaia Skyhawk: Goodbye angst for now, fun times cometh!**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

**A.N: Yes some of this stuff is early, but this is the only time the group will be visiting Flanoir. I'm also chucking the end of the relevant Heimdall Scene on, since most of it becomes redundant due to my plot changes. I'll be writing a whole new Heimdall Scene, to make up for effectively scrapping almost all of the original one, when I get that far. I picked this one since for the ToS2 Flanoir Scenes the ones with the girls don't apply (Lloyd too young to be interested in girls, not to mention two of them had me going "WTF? O.o;"), and so I picked my fav from the ones with the guys and went with that :D**

-

Chapter 73: Snowy City

-

The snow dusted down upon paved streets, muffling the sounds of the people moving about and creating a dreamlike hush around them. The group walked in through the city gates, having packed their two sleds into Sheena's ver for now. Once again they travelled without Vayla, the alurannai woman having left to track down Kratos as she'd decided to. The group weren't worried though, since after four pacts the idea of getting the rest no longer daunted them.

Pausing just inside the gates, Raine looked around at the surrounding buildings.

"So which of us are going to the accessory shop? I don't think having twelve assorted people of different species walk in through the door would go down too well with the owner."

Everyone glanced at each other, Noishe and Mezo present, along with Dalli and Corrine, since Lloyd and Sheena had been adamant that the pair stay in the warmth of the inn with the rest of them.

It was the Aeros who spoke.

**Why don't you and Regal go? It might be better if Lloyd and Sheena are with the rest of us to smooth things over at the inn.**

Regal nodded.

"It makes sense. I hardly see the need for more than two of us to go get those gloves Vayla mentioned we'd need. We'll be leaving in the morning regardless, so the rest of us should just take the chance to rest or to have a look around town."

Genis shrugged.

"That's fine with me." He tugged at his winter coat, which after the better part of three year's growth had become uncomfortably small. "I need a new coat anyway, and I don't want to have to drag Livian out to make me another. I need other new winter gear as well, since I don't particularly like wearing Lloyd's cast offs and I wasn't about to go around in a borrowed Renegade uniform. Thanks, but I don't want to paint a target on my head."

He indicated the thick dark-grey trousers he was wearing, which as mentioned had been swiped from Lloyd since they were slightly too short for the Nartu now. They didn't look _too_ bad, since Genis was now the height Lloyd had been three years ago, but that didn't change the fact that he was still wearing some of his best friend's clothes.

Raine sighed.

"It's agreed then. Regal and I will go get those Penguinist Gloves made, Genis will go sort out the gear he needs, and the rest will head to the inn. Is everyone fine with that?"

Lloyd tilted his head, before rummaging in his ver and tossing the resulting bag of gald to Genis.

"Sure, no problem. We'll meet up at the inn."

With that the group split up, each going their separate ways as the snow continued to fall.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The silver haired mage poked at the array of coats and other things hung up on the racks within the store, mulling over just what to get to replace his current coat and other winter clothing. Nothing he looked at seemed to be anywhere near as good as the one Livian had made, and a few bore an uncomfortable resemblance to the 'furry dress' back in Hima.

He sighed.

"Maybe avoiding asking Livian was a mistake... Either that or I've become spoiled by having such a good coat made for me by her. Geeze is there _nothing_ here that will match the rest of my stuff?"

A voice came from behind him.

"Excuse me, do you need any help?"

It was the shop owner, the woman regarding him enquiringly from behind the shop's counter. Genis shook his head.

"It's ok, I'm just trying to find some new winter clothing and a coat. I've outgrown my old stuff, but I still like the patterns and everything on them. It would just feel weird to change my whole wardrobe."

She came out from behind her desk and walked over.

"Might I take a look at what you're wearing? Elven styles and patterns are in fashion right now, so perhaps I might have something or know of a shop that does." Genis removed his grey trimmed blue coat, revealing the slightly too short white patterned blue shirt beneath and the pair of borrowed suspenders that was holding the also borrowed trousers up. She blinked. "I'm guessing the bottom half and the suspenders aren't your normal attire."

Genis groaned.

"I had to borrow them from my friend when we set out across the Flanoir Plains to get here... The last time I needed to wear my old winter stuff was three years ago when I was thirteen. I can't even fasten them anymore, and the only reason I can still wear the coat was because it was a bit big to begin with."

She grimaced in sympathy.

"That explains the odd combination of shirt and trouser styles." She took a closer look at the coat she now held, and also his shirt. "Hmm, I don't have anything like this coat, but the pattern on your shirt and its style is the same as one used by the elves of Heimdall. I have some tunics in a dark blue with a slightly more elaborate version of that pattern on them, done in while just as yours is. They were commissioned by a local noble but then he decided he didn't want them any more. He'd already paid for the materials as a deposit, so I didn't lose much on them, but there's been no one since who has been interested in them so I took them off display."

She walked over to the shelves at the back of the shop, pulling down a large box. When she opened it she lifted out a tunic which could quite easily have been made for the rather surprised mage, the only difference being that it was a tunic, not a shirt, and had no slits in the sleeves.

Genis walked over to take a closer look.

"Now that is just scary..." He shook his head and took the proffered tunic from her to examine it. "Hmm, it's thin like my old ones, so I'll need to wear a shirt under it like I do now." He began to smile after checking its length against himself, finding it went down to just below his knees "Heck, with it going so low and having the pattern on the bottom, I could scrap wearing shorts with the pattern on them once I go somewhere warmer. I'll need to get new trousers and boots to match it though." He looked up at her. "How much do you want for them?"

Her expression became thoughtful.

"Well as the materials for the tunics are already paid for... Hmm, if you let me alter some trousers I think will go well with them for you, some shirts to match that old one I can see poking out by your elbows and collar, and get my brother to alter a pair of shoes he has to match the six tunics in the box... I'll give you the whole lot for five ceitres."

Genis grimaced a little.

"Hmm, twenty-five hundred gald... A little pricey for me, but I'm hardly going to get a deal like it on clothes that look so much like my old ones anywhere else." He held out his hand. "If you hem slits into the tunic sleeves like this shirt I have on now as well, it's a deal!"

She reached out and shook his hand.

"Agreed." She took the tunic he held back off him and passed him his coat. "As for a new one of those, try the fur merchant down the street. He's been doing coats in elven styles as well lately, so he might have something you'll like. Now if you'd just let me measure you for the trousers, shoes, and shirts."

Genis obliged, donning his coat a few minutes later once she had what she needed.

He headed for the door.

"I'll go check out that merchant. Should I come back for the clothes and shoes in the morning?"

The shop owner shook her head.

"No need. Come back in a few hours and everything should be ready; my brother and I are both popular with the local nobility, and are practiced at producing things on short notice. Altering the clothes and shoes shouldn't take more than a couple of hours... That's why I charged so much."

Genis blinked a couple of times in surprise, before shaking his head and exiting the shop. That woman sure knew how to drive a business deal...

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

A bell tinkled as the door was opened, the blue haired convict and the silver haired healer walking in. The Snow White Accessory Shop was small, but from the array of charms and other things set out on shelves behind the counter it was well run business. The whole room seemed to radiate the kind of warmth and comfort that would encourage customers to stay and browse through the wares, the fire in the heart at the left end of the back wall surely contributing to this.

The welcoming air was further added to, when the old man sat by that fire came over.

"Welcome to Snow White. How may we be of service?"

Raine reached inside her coat, pulling out a small bag.

"We were told by a friend that you make Penguinist Gloves at this shop. We have the materials, but unfortunately weren't able to make them ourselves."

The old man broke out into an eager smile.

"Oh! You have Penguinist Quills!" He took the bag off her, opening it to check its contents. "I haven't made any of those gloves for a long time. Such warmth from such a thin accessory, such blue beauty in the feathers used..." He sighed. "But no one these days seems to be willing to go to the trouble of getting the quills." He gripped the bag tightly, before trotting over to a workbench near the fire. "I'll have those gloves made in a snap! Just make yourself comfortable; my grandson will get you a hot drink while you wait."

Regal and Raine found themselves being ushered to a couch near the fire, the old man muttering happily to himself while he worked. It wasn't hard to figure out why this shop had been so highly recommended.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"Cheerful whistling drifted through the chilly air, a rather finely clad mage strolling towards the inn the group had decided to stay at. He had a rather large box tucked under his arm, containing five each of shirts, trousers, and tunics, along with the borrowed suspenders... The last set he'd changed into before leaving the shop with his purchases wearing his new long, white edged pale grey coat over the top. His old shirts, boots, and the borrowed trousers from Lloyd he'd gotten rid of, there being no sense in carting anything but the still usable suspenders back with him. Now snug and warm in his new attire, he entered the inn and after a brief query at the desk headed up to the largest of the rooms the group was hiring; chances were everyone would be sitting in there until time came for bed and everyone went to their respective rooms.

Sure enough that assumption was right, and the heads of all his friend turned to look at him as he entered the room.

Lloyd grinned.

"Hey, nice coat! And are those new shoes and trousers?"

Genis grinned back, putting down his box and starting to unfasten the coat.

"Yup, they are. I really lucked out at one of the shops in the merchant district. The woman who owns it had some tunics a noble had commissioned but decide he didn't want anymore, so she altered some shirts, trousers, and stuff to match them for me." He removed his coat, revealing the dark-blue tunic he now wore over loose black trousers and a white edged black shirt with short sleeves. His shoes matched his old boots but for that the blue parts were the same shade as his tunic, and that they stopped at his ankles below the bottom of the trousers rather than having the section that went halfway up his calves. He did a turn so they could get a good look. "I had no idea the pattern on my old stuff was the same as a design used in the elven village of Heimdall. That stuff is in fashion with the nobles right now, so it was really easy for me to get a coat to match this stuff once the shopkeeper had told me where to look." He put his hands on his waist. "So what do you think?"

Everyone was speechless, even Zelos.

"Whoa... nice duds. It's scary how similar that stuff is to your old gear..."

Genis laughed.

"Yeah, I thought so too, but it's just like the shopkeeper said; elven patterns are in fashion right now."

Raine got to her feet, and for a moment she looked almost as if she might cry.

"Genis... You look so grown up in that. You look like a fine young man, ready to make his own way in the world..."

Her brother blushed.

"Well uh... I _am_ sixteen in two weeks. That's the age when elves and humans consider their children to be adults, right? So it kinda makes sense I didn't want to look like a little kid anymore." He continued to look embarrassed. "I mean, what kind of grown man goes around wearing 'baby blue'?"

Lloyd came over and gave him a slap on the back.

"I think your new clothes look great, Genis, we all do. You just surprised us that's all, after all when you took that coat off I'm not sure I recognised you at first after you've been wearing half-fitting or borrowed gear for so long."

Genis began to laugh.

"Speaking of which you can have your suspenders back. I ditched the rest since it was going to get throw anyway."

The laughter began to spread, as each member of the group came over to admire Genis' new apparel... his sister gazing at the reminder of her past with a hint of sadness.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

There was a tap on the door, Lloyd glancing at it from where he sat by the window, a familiar voice heard speaking through the wooden panel.

"Hey man, you awake?"

Lloyd got up and headed to the door, opening it to peer out.

"I just got sleepy right now. G'night."

He started to close it, but stopped when Zelos grabbed the edge.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Don't be like that! Come on, let's go walk outside for a bit."

The room's occupant chuckled.

"I was joking... Sure, I'll go for a walk since it's clear you want to talk about something."

The red headed Chosen looked a little embarrassed.

"Am I _that_ easy to read?"

Lloyd paused to put his boots on, before exiting the room and closing and locking the door behind him; putting the key in his ver.

"Not really, but it's so easy to spur a giveaway response from you that there's just no sport in it."

Lloyd ducked as Zelos took a swipe at his head, the two of them leaving the inn and walking in the direction of the main district of the city. They remained quiet for a while, eventually making their way up to a viewing balcony outside the city's main church.

As Lloyd leaned on the railing, looking out over the city as the snow fell from the sky, Zelos gazed up at those falling flakes.

"Seeing snow like this... It brings back memories..."

Lloyd stood up straight, turning to face Zelos with a confused expression.

"Huh?"

The Tethe'allan Chosen sighed.

"…On that day Meltokio had a record snowfall. It looked just like this city."

Lloyd frowned.

"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"

Zelos sighed again, coming over to stand by the railing.

"Ah, just a story about the past. I suddenly felt like talking about it."

"Well, if you want to talk, I'm all ears."

Lloyd leaned against the stone barrier again, his eyes not moving from Zelos' face as the man continued.

"It was when I was eight, two years after Hiria died... I was so excited to see snow for the first time, and I made a snowman in the garden with my mother. It was the only time I can really recall her making any effort to be nice to me." His expression darkened. "Then suddenly the snowman fell apart... Before I knew what was going on, red snow began to fall."

Lloyd blinked

"Red…snow?"

Zelos grimaced.

"It was my mother's blood... She was murdered." Lloyd stared in shock as Zelos kept going. "As she fell, she grabbed my shoulder and told me, 'You should never have been born.'"

Lloyd looked horrified.

"That's…that's horrible!"

The red head looked away from his friend, back out over the city.

"My mother probably loved somebody else, but because of the oracle from Cruxis she had to marry the Chosen at the time... My father, Alden. She hated him, and hated me for what my ordained birth had forced her into."

Lloyd stepped over and gripped Zelos by the shoulder.

"But none of that was your fault!"

Blue-green eyes lowered, settling their gaze on the white topped railing.

"The one who killed her was Celes' mother, Kara. She probably did it because she blamed Marlene for Alden's unhappiness... They executed her the next day, and Celes was placed under house arrest in the South Eastern Abbey even though she was only three years old. I've only been able to visit her a handful of times since then."

Lloyd closed his eyes in sympathy.

"So that's what happened..."

Zelos clenched his fists, shaking his head.

"I never wanted to be the Chosen. I spent every moment of my life wishing I could just run away."

The alurannai youth beside him sighed.

"…Chosens lead really difficult lives, I can understand what it's like... After all my own has been pretty screwed up so far."

Zelos flinched.

"…Sorry for reminding you."

Lloyd shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. But why did you suddenly decide to tell me all this?"

"I should've never been born..."

Lloyd gaped in shock.

"Wh… why do you say that?!"

Zelos folded his arms, looking away.

"I'm not saying I still think that way now, but all my life I've been rejected by my parents, shunned by the Church. …I just wanted to run away.

The hand on his shoulder tightened.

"But you're here with us now, right, and you're not without family. No matter how things turn out I'll always think of you as a brother."

Zelos let out a half laugh.

"Thanks... I dunno though, even now to tell the truth. I get tired of all the problems, and sometimes I find myself thinking it'd be easier if everyone and everything were just destroyed."

Lloyd actually almost fell over in shock at that.

"Zelos! How can you say that?!"

"…Did I piss you off?"

Lloyd frowned, as Zelos gazed solemnly back at him.

"Hell yes! It'd be a huge problem for me if everything was destroyed."

Zelos raised an eyebrow.

"But think about it... If everything was destroyed, you'd vanish, too."

Lloyd shook his head.

"I refuse to vanish, and so I don't want anyone else to be destroyed…I want you to live too, Zelos.

The red head began to smile, a hint of amusement in his eyes as he put on a fake tearful voice.

"…I think I'm gonna cry."

Lloyd thumped him on the shoulder.

"Don't make fun of what I'm saying, you dork."

Zelos gazed at him, thoughtful.

"You're going to keep going, aren't you? Do you really think you can unite the worlds?"

Lloyd nodded.

"I can and I will. I'm not going to run away. I'm a Chosen too after all, and Chosens are supposed to save the world."

Zelos made a gesture of surrender, starting to smile.

"All right, all right, I hear ya. I swear, your fervent enthusiasm is enough to melt all the snow in Flanoir."

Lloyd began to laugh.

"Hehehe... Well then, once the world is at peace, you can run away all you like."

The reply he got was sarcastic.

"...Gee, thanks."

The two of them looked out over the city once more.

"Don't mention it... Oh, yeah, about that question you asked a while back, about what I'm going to do once this is over…I'm planning to go on a journey to search for Exspheres."

Zelos blinked.

"Huh?"

Lloyd continued to smile in amusement.

"You asked what I was gonna do after the worlds are reunited, back when we were on the Skimmer just before the engines went nuts. I never got the chance to answer, and now seemed like a good time to."

The red head continued to look a little surprised.

"Oh, you remember that? Guess your memory was starting to fix itself by then, huh?" He mulled it over. "That sounds like a good idea; we should put the Exspheres somewhere people will never get their hands on them again..."

Lloyd turned to lean backward against the railing.

"What about you? What are you going to do?"

Zelos did the same, the two of the looking up at the grand front of the nearby church.

"Me? Hmm, good question... Collette and I are gonna be shutting the Church down, but that's gonna have to be done bit by bit leaving me nothing to do in between... So, uh... I guess I'll just tag along with you!"

He slung an arm around Lloyd's shoulder, the young Nartu startled.

"Huh?! Are you serious?"

Zelos smirked.

"Yep, I think it's an awesome idea, if I do say so myself... Zelos, savoir of the world, on a journey with his faithful kid brother! What do you think?"

Lloyd began to laugh again.

"Whatever, man, do what you like." He poked Zelos on the shoulder. "And what's with the 'kid brother' stuff? You're only a year older than me!"

Zelos let go, the two of them setting off towards the inn again.

"Aww c'mon, I've always thought it would be cool to have a little brother, and since you started calling me nanu I thought you realised you'd signed up to that."

Lloyd shook his head, smiling.

"Fine, you win... But if you ever embarrass me I'm disowning you!"

Zelos smiled back, the two of them now grinning like idiots as they walked through the snowy streets.

"Okay then, it's settled! It's gonna be awesome travelling around with me, just you wait!"

"Yeah, yeah... If you say so..."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: (Is grinning as described by the pair above) I LOVED doing that, aww that scene is so cute and funny at the same time... lol, Lloyd as Zelos' 'kid brother'... cue gags for Book 4 XD**

**Oh, and also I'll be posting a pic of Genis' new duds in my fanartcentral account if you want to take a look.**


	74. Temple of Ice

**Alaia Skyhawk: And now for Celsius! I love this gal's attitude. XD This is actually gonna be pretty short since there's not a lot I can put in for this place.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 74: Temple of Ice

-

"Come on Noishe! Race you to the temple!"

Two lightweight sleds shot across the snowy plains, leaving a veil of disturbed flakes in their wake as those pulling them competed to reach the pair of crystal spires that marked the entrance into the area outside the Temple of Ice. The last four weeks, like the three prior to that, had seen Genis, Raine, and Presea riding in the sled pulled by the running Noishe, and Regal and Zelos riding in an identical sled pulled by the flying Lloyd and Sheena. Collette had elected to fly on her own, keeping Mezo company just above the speeding sleds. Something among the group had lightened after the visit to Flanoir, the air of depression and worry from the weeks in which Lloyd was ill fading away into the past. Genis, now sixteen, was taking his role as a new adult seriously; and while still up for pranks and fun like any self respecting non-party pooper, he was still making a point of pulling his weight. One task Raine had previously refused to let him do was the night watch, her excuse being that since Lloyd and Sheena didn't need to sleep the two of them were happy taking turns. After Genis had argued that it wasn't fair to expect them to do it all the time, a new rota had been drawn up so that everyone in the group took a turn in shifts during the night.

Yawning a little, since it had been his turn last night, Genis then shouted to the Arshis pulling the sled he was in.

"You can do it, Noishe! Come on, you can run over ninety miles an hour!"

The Protozoan's eyes took on a glitter of determination, as he dug into his reserves and began to accelerate at a speed neither Raine nor Presea had ever experienced before. Genis had, so he was prepared for the dizzying burst of speed which flung him and the other two in the sled back against the padding behind them.

Noishe shot past Sheena and Lloyd, the two grinning in surrender since they knew they had no chance of matching that speed. When they reached the entrance of the temple grounds, he was already waiting there for them with a certain half-elven woman yelling at him.

"NOISHE! DON'T YOU DARE DO THAT AGAIN! IF YOU'D HIT SOMETHING YOU WOULD HAVE KILLED US!!" She turned on her brother. "And you! You knew he could go that fast, didn't you?!"

Where Genis might once have cringed at his sister's ire, he now simply looked back with a hint of apology.

"Sorry sis, I guess I never thought to warn you."

She might have kept yelling, but for the fact that he could almost look her right in the eye kind of deadened any effect it might have had. Instead she sighed and turned away.

"Fine, just don't do it again."

Genis glanced over at Lloyd, who was in the process of putting the sleds and pulling harnesses away.

"So... What now?"

The Nartu pulled a pair of blue gloves out of his ver.

"We go in, pick a few Celsius' Tears to freeze the paths we need to use, and then make the pact. Vayla said this place is pretty simple; the only thing she warned about is that Celsius herself has something of an attitude."

Zelos raised an eyebrow.

"As bad as Gnome?"

Sheena cringed.

"I don't think _anything_ could be as bad as him. Let's get going. Lloyd and I aren't that tired, we only flew for two hours, so we might as well get this over with."

She headed for an opening in the icy cliff ahead, the rest of the group following with Noishe and Mezo settling down as usual just inside the entrance to be out of the wind. The inside of the temple was a vast cave strung with huge columns of ice, a faint dripping sound and a distant roar of rushing water being the only sounds other than those of the group moving.

They walked a little further in, Collette spotting a familiar device.

"Hey, it's one of those things that change the Sorcerer's Ring. Do we need to use it?"

Lloyd shook his head.

"No, those things are just for Chosens coming here on the Ritual. Since we have Pengunist Gloves with us we don't really need that thing. The ring can't freeze any of the water we'll need to anyway. We're taking a different route from the one the Chosens take."

Regal looked curious.

"Really? I wasn't aware there were two paths."

Lloyd shrugged.

"There's the lake that has to be frozen, or the twisted path with the icy geysers... The geyser path is shorter, but if you don't want to suffer serious frost burn you need Penguinist Gloves to use it."

He led the way to the left, under what was obviously the intended path for the Chosens and into a tunnel half hidden by the shadows. That tunnel was soon blocked however, by a raging torrent that gushed from the wall on their right and filled a gap in the path before them.

Looking at it, Genis frowned.

"Okay, what's next?"

Lloyd pulled on the pair of blue gloves, reaching down to pluck a single flower from a tiny plant growing in a crack in the tunnel wall. He held it up.

"This..."

He tossed the flower into the water, the entire span of liquid freezing from wall to wall.

Genis took a step back.

"Whoa! That little thing froze it?!"

Lloyd chuckled.

"Yeah... You need one to freeze the lake, but only one, so if you're quick you don't get that badly burned from one flower. But this route we need to pick several of them, so without the gloves my hand would have been a real mess by the time we'd reached Celsius."

They set off across the now solid span of ice, slipping a little on the rippled surface though no one fell over. As warned they came across many more of the geysers, Lloyd continuing to use the gloves to pick more of the deceptively innocent flowers until they reached a solid wall.

Taking a closer look at it, Sheena began to kick it until pieces began to fly away from her into the area beyond. The group emerged from the end of the reopened passage, finding themselves just a short way from a huge pool of water... The lake Lloyd had mentioned.

Speaking of Lloyd, he turned to their left, to a closed door and a set of four carved columns. Muttering to himself, he began to turn those columns so that the faces on one side of them each faced a certain direction.

"Ok, Vayla said Ata said this was the combination." The last one clicked into place, the door opening. "And now for Celsius... Genis, Raine; Sheena and I have already decided on you two if you're up for it."

Genis unhooked his kendama from the back of his belt, Raine gripping her matching white oak staff as the two of them nodded.

"Yeah, we're up for it. What's the strategy?"

Sheena grinned.

"Raine heals, I protect her, and you and Lloyd pound Celsius with some of those fire combos you've been working on."

Genis' grin got wider.

"Oh yeah, I'm looking forward to this. Let's go kick her butt!"

The two alurannai youths and the two siblings passed through the door, the remainder of the group staying outside. Inside Lloyd and the others found a much smaller cavern than the one outside. Lined with a layer of frost crystals, the walls glittered as they moved towards the structure of the Seal. When they reached it, a proud female voice filled the air.

"You who posses the right of joint pact. I am Celsius, one who is bound to Mithos.

Sheena and Lloyd stepped forward.

"We are Lloyd Aurion and Alysii Targathyr. We seek a pact with Celsius, and ask that you anulst thy pact with Mithos, and by our right as alurannai, establish a new join pact with us."

The voice spoke again.

"You seek a pact with me? How amusing, considering I've spent the better part of the last _four years_ waiting for you to get here... Well then, let's see if you can handle me." Ice crystals materialised around the Seal, shattering as a woman with hair like black ice over stone and pale blue skin appeared and pointed towards them. "Fenrir, attack!"

A huge black and blue wolf leapt up from its place of concealment behind the altar, as Lloyd and the others scattered to now established battle positions. Sheena threw up a song shield over herself and Raine, the wolf slamming into it with a yelp.

Safe within the protections, Raine cast Allied Sanctuary over the group of four and then retaliated with an attack of her own.

"PHOTON!"

Another yelp rose into the air, as beyond the fight with the ice wolf Lloyd was defending Genis while the young man cast his spell. As soon as it was ready Genis glanced at Lloyd.

Lloyd leapt into action, flying towards a startled Celsius in a blur of scarlet wings before spinning mid air and slamming her with a blast of mana.

"BEAST!"

Genis cast his spell, fire ripping through the air to follow it.

"EXPLOSION!"

As Lloyd's momentum kept him close to the suddenly pounded Spirit, both techniques recast themselves as Lloyd spun again before slamming downwards with both of his blades.

"FIERY BEAST!"

"AHHHH!"

Celsius hit the floor with enough force to crack the thick ice covering it, her cry of pain drawing the attention of the fenrir which rushed to her aid. It charged at Genis where he stood near the wall, but missed him completely when Lloyd dived down and hauled his friend to safety, the wolf unable to stop in time to avoid hitting said wall head on.

The wolf and the Spirit both preoccupied, Sheena dropped her song shield to let off a spell of her own.

"FLAME LANCE!"

Her target, stunned as it was, had nowhere to go as the shaft of flame struck it from behind and likewise rebounded tenfold off its elemental opposite covering the wall. The fenrir collapsed under the onslaught, leaving Celsius to fight on her own.

Glaring at the girl who had downed her wolf, the Sprit dragged herself to her feet and flung an arm out towards her.

"FREEZE LANCER!"

Sheena and Raine were forced to dive to the sides, as shards of razor sharp ice flew towards them with blinding speed, too bad the distraction of attacking them cause the Spirit to forget the pair still behind her.

Lloyd and Genis both took aim, deciding to use the compound spell the mage and his sister had first used back in Asgard.

"EXPLOSION!"

"RAY!"

"TAKE THIS! PRISM STARS!!"

Celsius turned at the last second, just in time to stare in shock at the string of spells bearing down on her. She had no chance to dodge, and as the last fragments of the light spell faded away she struggled to her feet to regard them.

She laughed weakly.

"Excellent... It would appear that my freezing chill is but a summer's breeze to you. Now, speak your vow; a vow worthy of my power!"

Sheena and Lloyd walked over to stand before her, confident now in their strength.

"We Vow for the sake of all, to do what we must to restore the mana for the sake of the World."

Celsius nodded, before fading as her fellows had and bestowing rings upon the pair.

"Understood... Use my power well..."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Yay, a proper battle scene. Yeah, I know I skipped on the Shadow one, but other than describing a string of spammed light spells there wasn't much I could really do with it. Happy reading :D**

**Oh, and I **_**have**_** mentioned that tenfold thing in the past; in the chapter where Mithos makes the pact with Volt, just so you know XD**


	75. Ancient Circle

**Alaia Skyhawk: Now as it was hinted/reminded of in Flanoir, time for Genis and the rest of the gang to learn the truth about where he and Raine are really from (Only Vayla knows up to now in case you forgot, it WAS quite a long time ago that Raine told her).**

**Oh, and time to fill a couple of small plot holes for Book 4. Lloyd's little history lesson should make a few things make sense ready for it. There's still a couple for me to fill, but I can't do those until after chapter 86 XD**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 75: Ancient Circle

-

"Man, that is one big ass set of rocks..."

The group stopped on the rim of the depression in the ground, looking down into a circular basin near identical to the Window of Illusion in Sylvarant. It was the same size, the same depth, and the only difference was the trio of megaliths and the surrounding ring of smaller rocks that sat in the center of the flat area at its base.

Regarding that vast arrangement of stones, Lloyd spoke.

"Vayla explained to me about this place before she left. She said this place is the greatest mystery of our world, a place that no one knows who built. The Alurannai didn't discover it until over ten thousand years after their creation, at a time when Humans, Elves, and Dwarves were still small in number and came nowhere near this place. Even back then it was theorized to be a portal of some kind, but to where no one knows since no one was ever able to open it. When they created the Hourglass System my people knew this place would be one of the auxiliary poles, because of the strange pull this place exerts on the mana currents. The Window of Illusion didn't exist in Sylvarant until the worlds were split apart, but rather just appeared when that happened. That's probably why the Window is the same shape as this place, because it mirrors this place and marks where the pole here connects the two worlds."

He set off down the slope, the group following with Raine walking hesitantly at the back. It had been a fair hike to get here from the shore, having sailed from the coast south of the Temple of Ice. Now all of them simply wanted to set up camp near the stones and settle down to wait for the full moon that was still a week away. It was some time later, as they reached the bottom, that they came across the signs of a long distant battle.

Regal knelt down by one of the rusted and scorched sets of armor, weathered bone visible through gaps within it. He frowned.

"Church Knights, and by the state of the armour and the body within it, this must have happened a long time ago."

A voice filled with remembered pain interrupted him, everyone turning in surprise to look at Raine.

"It was sixteen years ago, almost to the day... It was raining that night, and our family were being chased because Genis and I were half-elves..."

Genis walked over to his sister, confused.

"Sis, what are you talking about?"

She closed her eyes, tears starting to flow down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry I never told you this, Genis... but with the way things were I didn't think it would be fair to you." She opened her eyes again and looked at him. "You and I were born in Heimdall, the elven village secluded within the Y'mir Forest west of here. Our father was a Tethe'allan scholar sent to the village to learn about the elves, and he fell in love with our mother while he was there. The people of the village hid the relationship from the Church and the Kingdom of Tethe'alla, but when I was twelve, just after you were born, the Church found out about it." She shook her head. "There was an uproar, and our family had no choice but to leave the village or place it in danger; so our parents brought us here, raced to get us here in time for the full moon... and then sent us through to Sylvarant to save us..."

He stared at her in shock.

"Wh-what? We're from Heimdall? But... But where's our parents now?"

She bowed her head.

"That's why I didn't tell you, because it wouldn't have been fair to make you grow up wondering what had happened to them that night... The last I saw of them before we were pulled through to Sylvarant was Father being hit by one of the knight's axes... and mother screaming out his name... I told Vayla about this a long time ago, not long after we left Izoold, when a slip I made caused her to figure out I was actually from Tethe'alla. She promised me then she'd ask her people to look for our parents, to try and find out what happened to them, but so far there's been nothing..."

The group remained in shocked silence, until Sheena frowned.

"The jiisumura have had to keep their heads down, they wouldn't be able to openly go up to people and ask about anyone matching your parents' description. Even when posing as humans, it would just be too risky."

Raine sighed.

"I know, which is why I've never brought the subject up with Vayla since the time I learnt the truth about Cruxis and Desians, a few weeks before we reached the Tower of Salvation. If they found them in the time since then I'd have been happy, but I wasn't going to press for information when I knew they already had so much else to deal with."

There was silence, the members of the group looking at each other until Zelos broke it.

He shook his head and shrugged.

"Look, does this really change anything? No... Raine and Genis are still a part of this group, and are still our friends. There's no point in us dwelling on something that doesn't really matter. Sylvaranti or Tethe'allan; who cares?"

Sheena gave him a long look.

"And once again Zelos comes out with something intelligent for a change. He has a point, this doesn't change anything." She set off towards the monoliths. "Let's go set up camp and get ourselves settled. We've got a week of waiting ahead of us for the full moon."

The group followed after her, one young man with a great deal on his mind.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The camp was quiet, most of the members asleep but for Regal who was the night watch, and two certain siblings.

Genis got up from his bedroll and left his tent, heading over to the one in which his sister lay awake. When he reached it, he opened the flap and sat on the ground just outside it.

"Sis?"

The woman in the tent sighed and sat up, murmuring quietly.

"You want to know more about our parents, don't you?"

It was Genis' turn to sigh, as he got up and came to sit inside the tent next to her.

"I understand why you said nothing, but now I know the truth I want you to tell me everything."

Her eyes were sad, barely visible like her face in the faint light from the nearby campfire.

"I suppose I should start with our parents' names... Our mother is called Virginia, and our father Kloitz. Like I said before, they met when Father was sent to Heimdall to study the Elves, and not long after he arrived he and our mother fell in love. The Elves accept half-elves, and have done since the end of the Kharlan War. They had no objection to the relationship, and in turn used every means they had to keep it hidden from the outside world... But one day all that changed, and it was partly my fault."

Genis stiffened.

"Your fault? What do you mean?"

Raine lowered her gaze to the hands in her lap.

"This is what happened..."

'---'-'-'-''---'--'-'-'-'--'-'-'-'--'-'-'-'-'-'

A wail filled the room, tiny lungs shrilling their displeasure at the sudden exposure to the chill of open air. The wriggling infant was bundled up in a blanket and handed to his tired mother, as a middle aged human man of typical appearance and a twelve year old girl with hair as silver as the woman's were shown into the room.

Virginia looked over at them and smiled.

"Raine, come say hello to your little brother."

The young girl walked over, peering down at the bundle in her mother's arms. Seeing that little face screwed up from crying, she reached out with a finger and brushed it against the baby's cheek.

"Don't cry, it's ok."

Almost like magic the child stopped crying, instead snuffling as he continued to wriggle. Raine looked up as an arm was placed around her should, her father looking down at her with a smile.

"It looks like Genis knows you're his big sister. You two are going to be very close, I can tell."

Raine smiled up at him.

"We will, Father, I'll be the best big sister ever!"

She looked down at her little brother again, her mother watching her intently. After a few more minutes of cooing over the infant Genis, Virginia reached over and patted Raine on the arm.

"Why don't you go outside and play? Annule is due to come play with you all today, and I know he likes to see you especially."

The young half-elven girl broke out into a wide grin, speaking to her brother before darting from the room.

"See you later, Little Brother!"

She ran down the hallway outside the room, heading to the exit of the small wooden cottage that served as her family's home. Herbs hanging to dry from the eaves of the porch rustled as she passed, their sweet fragrance drifting on the wind as she headed for the clearing by the edge of the nearby stream.

When she got there she saw the rest of the village children playing in the company of a large white wolf, a wolf who looked up at her approach with perked ears. He trotted over to her, nuzzling her with a blue marked nose before gently tugging on her sleeve and heading back to the rest of the children. Happy hours passed, until with some reluctance the wolf turned and left with the fading light. The rest of the children headed home as well, leaving just Raine by the side of the stream.

She looked down at the rippling waters, where the first hints of sunset were reflected on their surface. She was just about to turn and leave when a glint that wasn't sunlight caught her eye. She knelt down by the side of the stream, reaching down into it for that glimmer. She smiled in triumph when her fingers closed around it, a smile that widened even further when she lifted it out and took a look at her prize.

It was a piece of ordinary quartz, but unlike the usual streambed stones this one hadn't been tumbled until rounded. It's edges only slightly dulled, its flat faces struck tiny rainbows from the fading light. She traced its edges with a finger, thoughtful.

_I can make this into a necklace for Genis, for when he's older!_

Still grinning she got up and took off at a run for home, racing through the village at breakneck speed before coming to an abrupt halt when she slammed into somebody.

She dropped the crystal when she fell over backwards, scrambling to get hold of it again before a slightly annoyed voice came from above. A human man in some kind of formal uniform looked down at her with disapproval, and as she got to her feet he frowned.

"You should watch where you're going, girl. Elves, even young ones, are supposed to be decorous."

Raine backed up a step, fearful.

"I uh... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you. I was just in a hurry to get back to my little brother."

The man raised an eyebrow.

"Is he all by himself."

Raine shook her head.

"No, Mother and Father are with him. He was just born today."

The man's expression softened a little.

"Well then, get yourself back home."

Sighing inwardly at the reprieve, Raine walked past him and continued towards her home at a more sedate pace. When she reached it her father was waiting on the porch for her.

He waved.

"Come on, Raine, I've finished making dinner. Hurry up before it gets cold."

She ran towards him, stopping at his feet and holding up the crystal to show him.

"Look what I found, Father! Isn't it pretty? I'm going to make a necklace out of it for Genis for when he's older!"

Smiling down at her, he placed a hand on her shoulder and led her into the house.

"That's wonderful, I'm sure he'll love it when you do."

The two of them entered the house, the door closing behind them; both of them unaware of the narrowed pair of eyes watching from just a short way away.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Raine closed her eyes, her expression full of regret.

"That man was an emissary from the Church of Martel, in Heimdall to carry out their usual regular attempt at making the Elves convert to the religion. After hearing of the birth he must have decided to give the Church's blessings in an effort to gain the favor of the villagers, but instead he saw our father greeting me, and me calling him such. He left the village having given no sign of what he'd seen, but just three days later the Elves caught wind of his report reaching the Pope. We fled the village just hours later, riding in a small cart pulled by ponies. When we reached the coast south of this island there was a small skiff moored in a cove ready for us, and using it we sailed here. When we finally reached the island the Church Forces were just behind us, and we only made it just in time. That was when the fight happened; father fighting and mother casting spells to buy us time until the portal ripped us away from them both... And all of that happened because of a single word innocently spoken by me."

There were tears flowing down her face now, as she swallowed hard to stop the sob that tried to rise. Genis was crying as well, as he placed a hand on her arm.

"It's alright, Sis... It wasn't your fault, and you did your best. Look at how well you've raised me since then, and all the friends we have now. I'm sure Mom and Dad would be happy for us, no matter what happened to them after we escaped." He smiled. "Besides, we're going to find them, right? I'm certainly not going to give up on them."

Raine looked up at him and pulled the sixteen year old into a hug.

"We will, Genis. We'll find them no matter what." She let go of him, reaching into her bag and pulling out a small wooden box that looked like a book. After opening it, she pulled out a crystal with wire wrapped around its base to form a loop, hung from a string. She handed it to him. "I made the stone into a necklace, just like I told Father. It's time I gave it to you."

Genis accepted the pendant, looking down at this memento from a hometown he couldn't remember.

"Thanks, Sis... for everything."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Two fists were shook three times, stopping after while two sets of eyes compared them... the owner of the blue-green pair complaining.

"Aww man, you beat me again! How many times in a row is that?"

Lloyd chuckled as Zelos folded his arms in annoyance, the two of them playing rock, paper, scissors.

"Fifty-two... It just looks like you're not very good at this game."

Zelos snorted and pointed at him.

"No way, I played this all the time when I was little and it always came out about fifty-fifty."

Presea came over, her expression curious.

"What's the matter?"

Lloyd glanced at her sidelong as Zelos continued to pout.

"He's a bit upset because I'm thrashing him at rock, paper, scissors."

Another voice came from a short way away, Genis looking up from where he sat stirring a pot over the campfire.

"Hey, Lloyd, are you cheating at that again? Geeze after you thrashed your uncle back in Luin I thought Vayla told you to keep eye contact with whoever you were playing with so you couldn't cheat."

Zelos leapt to his feet.

"_You were cheating?_"

The young Nartu grimaced as he got up and began to back away.

"I uh, can tell which hand position you're going to use by how the muscles in your forearm twitch just before you make it... AHHH!"

The next second saw Zelos putting Lloyd in a headlock, and while he could have gotten out of it easily the young alurannai endured it as the red headed Chosen began to run his knuckles over his head.

Genis rolled his eyes and went back to making dinner, while Regal got up from his seat by his tent and walked over to the tussling pair. Reaching them, he got Zelos to let go. The two of them now separated, he looked between them thoughtfully.

"I've seen Sheena live up to the meaning of her name often enough, yet have to wonder what meanings yours have." He frowned. "By the way, what _does_ your name mean, Lloyd. It's never come up before now."

Presea nodded.

"Yes, please tell us."

Lloyd blinked for a moment before answering.

"Mine doesn't have a meaning in Sumaityr. I was named after Yuan's father."

The rose haired girl tilted her head.

"You were?"

Lloyd nodded.

"Yeah, and it really means a lot to him... Lloyd is what he would have called a son of his own... if his wife hadn't died before they could have a family. It's become a family thing among the surviving Companions that whoever has a girl next is going to call her Laria. That's the name Yuan and Martel would have called a daughter of theirs."

Presea smiled.

"I think it's wonderful when people name their children like that. It makes it so much more special. My sister and I were named after flowers in the forests around Ozette. Our mother used to grow them near the house."

Regal mulled over this for a moment before he spoke.

"My father was a typical noble. He picked my name because he could use it to imply that we would soon have the King's favour... As it is, I _was _eventually made a Duke. He still insists that it's because of my name... and not because I tripled the Lezareno Company's turnover three years in a row just before that.

Zelos looked away, eyes shadowed.

"My dad gave me my name. '_Zelifiu__ Osaro_', angelic for 'Fiery Lonely'... I guess he'd already figured my life would be as crappy as his... I like Hiria's version better...."

He walked away, not so much as looking back as he disappeared behind the row of nearby tents.

Presea looked surprised.

"Huh?"

Regal was equally so.

"Who is Hiria?"

Lloyd averted his eyes, his expression becoming sad.

"Hiria was my great-grandmother. She was placed as a watcher in Zelos' home just before he was born. She was his nanny up until she died, so I never actually got to meet her."

Presea was taken aback.

"Oh..."

The young Nartu sighed.

"She probably told him what his name would mean in Sumaityr."

"What would that be?"

Lloyd looked at Regal.

"...Probably '_Zenru Ela Losiyine_'."

Presea frowned.

"And that means?"

Lloyd turned and walked after Zelos.

"'Wishes Come Quietly'..."

The two of them watched him go, Regal breaking the following silence.

"There is clearly more to Zelos that he lets others see."

Presea nodded.

"But it looks like he trusts Lloyd enough to let him."

"Well they do have a common bond..."

She looked up at the blue haired convict.

"They do?"

He nodded.

"Yes... Hiria..."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The moonlight shone down upon them, as they approached the trio of monoliths at the center of the huge basin. Stars glittered overhead, as the group came to a stop beside them and waited.

Raine gazed solemnly into the heart of the space between the stones.

"The moonlight will make the tops of the stones glow, and then the symbols upon them blaze. When that happens a portal will appear for a few seconds so we need to be ready."

Sheena folded her arms.

"Is it rough going through this way? It was ok on the Rhieards, and that time I was sent between worlds by the Sentinels wasn't really that bad, but I've never gone this way before."

Raine thought back, trying to remember but shaking her head.

"There was too much going on then to really think about it. So I couldn't say for sure. Neither Genis nor I were hurt by it though if that's what you're asking."

It was then that the stones began to glow, Lloyd making his move into the space between them.

"This is it, time to go unless you want to wait here for another four weeks!"

Everyone hurried after him, standing ready as the light crept down the stones a lit up the swirling patterns upon them. When the light reached the ground the earth beneath them was enveloped in a ripple of purple light before with a nauseating wrench they found themselves standing in bright sunlight in the middle of a huge grassy basin just like a moment before but for their being no stones.

Zelos blinked.

"Whoa, what happened to all the big ass rocks?"

Lloyd sighed as he brought a hand to his head.

"Zelos, we are now in Sylvarant; three and a half weeks' walk from Palmacosta which is where we're going next. We've some friends we want to check up on while we wait for word from Yuan. He hinted he had something he wanted us to help with just before we left the base, and after trailing around Tethe'alla for the past eighteen months I think a short break will be welcome. We need to get the low down on what's been happening in this world anyway, and Palmacosta is a good place to do that."

The red head blinked.

"Oh... ok."

Everyone shaking their heads at his density, they turned and headed west for the next destination on their journey.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Been a while, I know, but I've been working on Darkness for a bit. Happy reading :D**


	76. Return to the Seaport Capital

**Alaia Skyhawk: Close call... XD**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 76: Return to the Seaport Capital

-

A calm day of walking across the plains of the Palmacostan Region behind them, the group passed between the pair of stone pillars that marked the main road into the city of Palmacosta. The newest members of the group looked around with open curiosity at this first Sylvaranti settlement they'd been to, and they like the rest of the group were completely caught off guard by what happened next.

"Chosen One! You're alive! Where have you been?"

It was a priestess, one of the few who manned a small chapel just inside the edge of the city. Her cry alerted all of the people nearby, causing a huge mob of concerned citizens to come over.

Lloyd backed up a step.

**Oh crap... We forgot it's been almost two years since we left Hima, the last time anyone in Sylvarant heard from Collette. She's been missing all that time, with no sign of the Regeneration Ritual being completed, so they must have been going crazy with worry.**

Collette flinched a little as the priestess clutched her hand with an expression of relief, thinking fast to come up with _something_ to tell them.

"I uh... Um... I'm sorry I made everyone worry. I... I can't enter the Tower of Salvation yet. I've... I've been doing lots of trials in the Holy Ground of Kharlan, to become strong enough to wake the Goddess Martel. The Angels said everyone was getting really worried, so I had to come here to let everyone know I'm alright and that I'm still working hard to Regenerate the world. I'm sorry."

The chorus of concerned questions was reduced to murmurs as her words and story sunk in. Several people at the back rushed off to spread the word of her return and where she'd been, the priestess letting go of her hand and bowing her head in apology.

"I apologise for being abrupt like that, it must be quite a shock to come back to such a crowded place after being in the Holy Grounds for so long. Please, let me escort you and your companions to the cathedral. We must tell the pastor of your return, and send word to Iselia."

Collette feigned tidying a loose stand of hair to make the listen signal.

_/Don't worry; I shouldn't have too much trouble convincing them. I never was much of a liar when I first started out on my journey, and if I play innocent no one should question my explanation./_ She now spoke out loud. "Everyone, why don't you go see Cacao. I'll be fine going to the cathedral on my own, you all still need to tell her where Chocolat is."

She turned and walked away with the priestess, a dozen or so passers by following. As soon as she was out of sight, Lloyd let out a huge sigh of relief, as did everyone else.

"Now _that_ was a close one."

Raine nodded.

"Yes, quite. Let's just hope no one here questions where Vayla and Kratos are, since they are supposed to be escorting Collette on behalf of the Alurannai."

Sheena raised an eyebrow.

"And what about me and Lloyd? If anyone _does_ ask we'll just say the Inartu of Aluran was needed for an important matter back home, and my myrta also, and that they left Collette in mine and Lloyd's capable hands. It's sort of the truth, and it makes sense."

Zelos chose that moment to interrupt.

"Look, debating this is great and all, but the middle of the street is hardly the best place to do it. Let's go see that Cacao chick and then head to whatever inn you guys stayed in last time."

With a shrug the group headed off down the street, thankful that Palmacosta's typical fast speed of gossip travel prevented any more confrontations from people who recognised certain members of the group. Even so it was with some relief that they turned down the street where their destination lay, entering the shop and surprising the woman behind the counter, who wasn't the only one there.

Genis gaped, before rushing over to the elder of the two.

"Marble! I thought you were going to stay in the safe town!"

The elderly woman regarded him with a smile, at the same time taking in how he'd changed since she'd last seen him since she now had to look up slightly to meet his gaze.

"My you've grown, Genis. You were just a young boy when we parted ways, and now you're fine young man. I trust everyone is well? Vayla said you were when she brought me here over a year ago."

Raine frowned.

"That long ago? Why, and why didn't Vayla tell us?"

Cacao came from behind her counter to stand beside her mother.

"The Alurannai took word to Mother about Chocolat not long after she was sent to the Iselia Ranch, and when Vayla stopped to check on her several months after that Mother demanded to be brought back here to be with me. With the Palmacosta Ranch destroyed, and the Asgard Ranch too, the risk of the Desians discovering she is a former prisoner was small, so Vayla agreed. We've heard nothing else since though, and seen nothing of Vayla either."

Lloyd stepped forward, his expression solemn.

"A friend of ours has an informant inside the Iselia Ranch, and he's told us Chocolat has been kept off the Host Body roster and is instead being held as a possible hostage to lure in the Chosen since Collette knows her. She's safe for now, so she'll be in no danger until we get the chance to rescue her."

Both women sighed with relief, the elder of the two speaking.

"That is good to know. While I can say that Forcystus is the most lenient of the Grand Cardinals, those who serve him tend to be brutal. If she's being kept as a hostage, he won't permit them to harm her or bully her. I saw him several times during my imprisonment there, and I'm sure I saw a glimpse of disgust in his eyes once; not at the humans who were imprisoned, but at the actions of his own men towards them. He even had one of his men beaten to within an inch of his life for torturing a young boy unnecessarily. That boy was later released at his command, along with all other children below the age of twelve. He said they were 'too young to produce stable and reliable results' or something like that. I got the impression that it was more he disliked children being treated in such a way. Even human ones."

Lloyd blinked.

"Wow, I'd heard Forcystus was considered a soft touch by his fellow Cardinals, but I never realised he was willing to take risks like that. Refusing children for the Ranch would have taken a lot of guts, and a lot of explaining to his superiors. He wasn't kidding four years ago when he told Phidra he was still a man of honour. The only thing that bugs me is he dumped you and that man like trash, leaving you to die."

Marble looked thoughtful.

"I thought about that a great deal over the past four years, and have come to believe something... He recognised Vayla, and probably knew she was a skilled healer. He had his men fell and leave that man and me to give us a chance. If we'd been taken back to the Ranch we'd certainly have died, but by doing what he did he instead gave us freedom and at the very least a kinder swifter death than that which we might have suffered otherwise." She sighed. "It makes me wonder what made a man such as him join the Desians, for I'm sure given other circumstances he'd have found it easy to be well liked and respected by humans."

Raine nodded.

"I agree. After two of his men threatened Genis and I, to try and make us join the Desians, a few days later I found him waiting for me when I went to collect herbs in the Iselia Forest. He actually _apologised_ to me for their actions, and assured me the two of us would be left alone after that. He said that if the two of us had found a life living beside humans in peace, even if by posing as full-blooded elves, he wasn't going to permit those under his command to destroy that. Whenever I saw a Desian patrol after that, they always gave me a wide berth."

Genis looked shocked.

"Forcystus _apologised_ to you?! You never told me that!"

His sister looked a little bemused.

"Genis, you were seven years old and had a habit of letting your mouth run at that time. While you had the sense not to mention us being threatened, a mention of me meeting the nearby resident Cardinal would certainly have slipped out at some point. He gave us a chance for peace, so I took it and kept quiet."

Regal, having watched the conversation go back and forth, began to mull over what he'd heard.

"This 'Forcystus' does not sound like a typical Grand Cardinal. I was given to understand that the other four are all somewhat bloodthirsty and sadistic."

Sheena glanced at him.

"He's not, and from what my myrta and Kratos could tell he was picked to temper any conflict between the other four. Pronyma thinks things through with an eye to keep the others in line, but hates Rodyle, Magnius, and Kvar with a vengeance and would kill them if she could get away with it. Forcystus could be considered to be as close to second in command of the Cardinals as one can get since she knows he'll never try to back-stab her, and in turn he's been keeping the others in line since he got more respect from them than she did. With only Rodyle left of the other three things will have been quiet on that front, so Forcystus won't have had to do much to prevent infighting lately."

Zelos sighed at yet another conversation gone deep into politics.

"Which means that when alls said and done Chocolat is fine for now. Not in the best place, I'm sure, but not about to get hurt any time soon either... Ahhk!"

The next second he was sat on his rear on the floor, nursing a bruised cheek courtesy of Sheena who simply shook her head.

"Next time just _ask_ for a topic change, not smart mouth."

He sighed again.

"You know, at times you're almost as scary as Gaea. 'Just ask next time', got it, sheesh." Still grumbling as he got to his feet, he headed for the door. "Well we've still got that Vice Governor General to go see, shall we get moving?"

He stopped beside the door as Sheena sighed in exasperation.

"We've only just gotten here to see Cacao and Marble and now you want to leave? Why are you being such a..."

"Jerk?" He glanced back at her. "Look I know you want to catch up chat with those two, but I'm gonna be honest and admit that being here feels really weird to me. I feel 'out of place', so I guess I just want to look around a bit more and get used to being in this place."

Clearing her throat a little, Presea averted her eyes.

"I too feel a little out of place. Even back home I never spent much time in cities, so being in a Sylvaranti one is a little unnerving."

Cacao frowned.

"'Sylvaranti'? If you're not from Sylvarant then where are you from?"

Lloyd took hold of Zelos and Presea's shoulders and pushed them out the door.

"They're from a really far off island, we met them on the way here after leaving the Holy Grounds. They're just a little homesick."

As the trio disappeared outside, Raine hid a sigh of relief before turning to the woman once more.

"Well then, as we're here we might as well top up on our supplies."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Striding down the street with the two Tethe'allans' in tow, the three of them having made a rather anti climactic visit to see Neil, Lloyd shook his head at the close call back at Cacao's.

"A bit of advice; 'Other world', 'Tethe'alla', 'Tethe'allan', and 'Sylvaranti' are not in your vocabulary. Man that was close, we can't have stuff like that circulating in Sylvarant. If too much got out it could start a panic, or at the very least something on par with Tethe'alla's little assassination attempt, or worse... At least Palmacosta has a new Governor General; I'm glad my people found Clara and cured her. She'll look after the people here just fine."

Presea bit her lip.

"Yes, it's good to see something work out good after so much tragedy... and Lloyd, I apologize for back at the shop. I didn't mean to cause trouble by saying what I did."

Lloyd sighed.

"It's ok, I know you didn't. I should have realized that being here would be strange for you. We'll get what we need to do done as quickly as we can, and leave Palmacosta in the morning. I know we wanted to spend a couple of days here so you guys could see the sights, but maybe it's for the best."

**Then I guess me delivering this request won't screw up your plans.** The three of them turned and looked towards a nearby alley; a woman with tawny brown hair indicating they should come over. Once they were hidden in the alleyway, she turned to Lloyd. **I'm Lyranve, one of the alurannai Rhieard Pilots in the Renegades. Inartu Kratos made it clear a long time back that either he or you were to act as the Nartana representative when a certain stage of the Plan takes place, and everything is set for that stage.**

The two Tethe'allans listening while keeping an eye out, Lloyd focused his attention on the alurannai woman.

**What am I needed to do?**

She pulled a piece of paper out of her ver, a map, and handed it to him.

**Meet Kaleian at this spot as soon as possible. He's going to lead you and the Seizure Team to the Teleporter Station that serves as access to the Remote Island Ranch... It's time to take control of the Mana Cannon.**

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Ahkk, been so busy! This chapter took me ages! Anyways, action stations again. Time to go beat the crap out of Rodyle!**


	77. Working with an Old Owl

**Alaia Skyhawk: Yay, fun time!**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 77: Working with an Old Owl

-

It was with considerable caution and much tension that the group crept through the maze of game trails that wove through the rocky terrain along the coast a week's travel from Palmacosta. They'd left the morning after Lloyd had gotten the request from Yuan, leaving the city with the barest of goodbyes from Collette to the people. At least she'd had a chance to write a letter to her family and send it via one of the Church's messenger birds, though obviously it contained nothing of what the group was really up to. They'd been told to approach this area only at dusk, and had been forced to wait nearby for most of the day. Finally here, the entire group jumped in fright as a figure with blue dappled white-feathered wings dropped down in front of them.

Midnight blue eyes regarded them from beneath midnight blue hair, the man smiling with amusement.

"So you finally made it. About time, Botta and his men have been getting a little cramped sitting in the hide I prepared in this area. I'm Kaleian of the Crystal Users, and used to be the Renegade's main spy with regards to Rodyle and his Ranch. Right now that moron thinks I'm dead."

His smile widened, several of the group getting over their surprise and smiling back. He turned and walked down the trail, the group following, leading them to a small blind canyon whose entrance was concealed by illusions.

At his thump on the rock beside the entrance, a head cautiously poked out.

"Kaleian? You're back early, you normally wait until midn..." The man who'd looked out blinked when he saw the group. "Oh..." He disappeared into the hide and hissed. "They're here!"

The familiar voice of Botta rose above a sudden chorus of stiff groans and shifting armour.

"Everyone gather your gear, it's time to raid the Ranch. Get moving." He came out through the illusion and glanced at Kaleian. "Drop the spell, we don't need it now. Though I do wish you'd picked somewhere bigger."

The Crystal User just shrugged, a click of his fingers dispelling the concealment to reveal thirty Renegades crammed into a space no bigger than Yuan's office... and if the time the group had gotten the message was any indication, those thirty had been camping in that space for a week.

Not bothered in the slightest by a few of the glares he was getting from the emerging Renegades, the Crystal User leapt to the top of the surrounding rocks with flap of his wings.

"We need to get moving. If we go at a steady pace we'll be at the Teleporter Station in about two hours, and will get to it via an upper pathway above the road the Desians use... The idiots never watch it."

Retracting his wings he then leapt almost twenty feet from one set of rocks to another, gesturing them all to follow him. It was with mixed reactions that they did so, the members of the Restoration Group not sure what to make of the easygoing and yet serious man.

One eye on the blue haired half-elf, Raine murmured in an aside to Botta.

"I can see now why Gaea Silverleaf gets to annoyed with him. His general attitude would certainly rub her the wrong way. Is he always like this?"

The Second looked a little bemused.

"When you consider how old the man is, it's not surprising he has quirks. I would hazard a guess that his ability to be serious when needed, and easy going the rest of the time, is the reason he's still sane after living so long." Also watching the leaping Kaleian, he frowned thoughtfully. "Truth be told I've not seen much of him since he started helping us about forty years ago, so that's as best as I can say about him."

Lloyd slowed a little, dropping back to walk alongside them whispering.

"He visited Nae Shiu several times when I was little, even babysat me a few times. When he was there he hardly ever left the Nartana's apartments or his guesthouse, and generally avoided people. I got the impression that he likes to be with people, but then backs away for a while. He keeps a certain amount of distance, so he doesn't get so close, and then leaves before they can die of old age and only returns when no one who knew him that time is alive to remember him. That's why he's so easy going, because being open lets him make friends, good friends, fast. He gets to enjoy the companionship, the company, and then leaves when he feels he's been with them too long. The repeated pain of watching friends grow old and die would be too much otherwise, or at least that's what I think."

Lloyd flinched as the man in question light jumped from above to appear beside him. Kaleian's expression was sombre.

"And for a kid so young you read me rather well... Better than anyone has for more than a hundred millennia. You're right; I _do_ leave before those I befriend can die of old age. A long time ago, when I was still young by comparison to now, I used to stay until the very end, but when I'd seen it so many times it came that I just couldn't take it anymore. That's why I hang around with my friend Yasin so much, as secretive as the guy is. He's in the same boat as me, and so we often spend time talking to each other now and then."

Lloyd gaped.

"You're friends with _Yasin?_ He's one of the original alurannai, from the first generation; he almost _never_ shows himself to any of us."

Still walking, the Crystal User frowned a little.

"I asked him about that myself quite a few times, and the most I've ever gotten out of him was 'I have a task to perform, one my people have no need to know of. It is my own, my burden to carry, and I will not suffer that weight fall on the Nartana's shoulders. Such was asked of me by the Giant Tree'. That's the straightest answer he's ever given me, and for all the time I've known him he'd always take off without warning, disappear for several years, and then reappear again and pick up the conversation where we left off. It confused me no end at first, but I came to accept it. He has his secrets as I have mine, so I've no right to question him doing what he does if he believes it to be right."

Lloyd frowned, both stunned and puzzled.

"Yasin was asked to do something by the Giant Tree, something he hides from all of the Alurannai to spare the Nartana the burden of knowing it? Is _that_ why he avoids us? Does he just pretend to be barely sane now to prevent us from seeking him out?"

Kaleian patted him on the shoulder.

"I couldn't say for sure, but it's likely. I think I may have almost caught him at it once, when I came across him near Asgard one time holding a green crystal sphere with some weird symbol inside it. The guy grabbed me, teleported me to the middle of nowhere, and they teleported away again. Took me a week to figure out where he'd put me... and it was on some tiny island in the far reaches of the ocean near the South Pole. Took me three weeks in all to make it to Tethe'alla. After that day I saw a lot less of him, so I guess he became a lot more careful about what it is he's been doing all this time." He extended his wings again, preparing to leap back up onto the rocks lining the trail they were on. "Well, enough of that, we have a job of our own to do."

He jumped up again, leaving Lloyd to think over what he'd just learned... That Yasin, oldest of the Alurannai, had a secret.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

They skirted along the edge of the cliff, nimbly traversing the treacherous path. One by one Renegades were breaking off from the rear, stopping at points above where Desians stood guarding the path below. Fully fifteen had taken up positions when a cave came into sight, an obvious and very large teleportation panel concealed within it.

Kaleian signaled those remaining to stay put as he snorted.

"Ah the irony, it's the same guy as last time."

Regal raised an eyebrow.

"An acquaintance?"

Kaleian didn't answer, instead darting along the ledge and dropping down behind the guard. He wrapped an arm with a grip like steel around his torso, pinning his arms in place as his other hand clamped over the man's mouth.

"I told you a long time ago that you know you lot should really pay more attention. A pity for you I'm not really and never was Lord Rodyle's spy, and you and your men have just let your Lord's doom into the base with your ineptitude." The guard stiffened. "As I said back then, this is the only access to the base on the mainland, and the sheer amount of cover around here makes it a tempting Target for the Renegades to infiltrate the base... Which is exactly what we're doing."

The hand moving away from his mouth, the grip around him denying him the breath to yell, the guard gasped.

"Kale! But... but you're dead!"

Kaleian's expression went dark.

"No... _You_ are dead..."

In the blink of an eye his grip shifted, both hands grabbing the guard by the head before giving it a savage twist. As he let go of the now dead guard who dropped silently to the ground, he looked up at Botta and nodded.

The Second lifted the transmitter from his belt and spoke into it.

"Move in."

From just down the path a brief exclamation of shock was cut off in less than a moment, fifteen Renegades arriving one after another over the following few minutes. As soon as everyone was accounted for, Kaleian nodded.

"Five of you stay here and secure the area, the rest of you divide into the agreed teams. When I agreed to lead this mission I made it clear that the prisoners were _not_ going to be sacrificed. Get as many out as you can and secure the outer regions of the facility. Rodyle has the fewest men out of all the Cardinals, and they are scattered throughout the facility. Keep things quiet and you'll have no trouble dealing with them. Let's go!"

He headed for the teleporter panel, waiting until the forty or so people who would be entering the Ranch were in place upon it before activating it. Seconds later they were in a small metal walled chamber, with Kaleian already standing over three now dead guards. He led them into the long glass encased passage that led into the heart of the base, the clear walls allowing them to see the pitch black of the night time sea, dotted with the lights that glittered the length of the structure built against the side of the island the Ranch was named for. At the first branch in the path two teams of five broke away to either side, the same at the next. It was then when they reached the main shaft of the Ranch that the final five and Botta turned to head for their own objective after they and the Regeneration Group dealt with the inevitable Desians guarding the main elevator.

The Second regarded the Crystal User solemnly.

"We'll secure the Mana Reactor as agreed, while you deal with Rodyle and secure the Control Room. I don't need to remind you that if something goes wrong up there the rest of our lives will be depending on you."

There was no smile on Kaleian's face now, no trace of the easygoing man from two hours ago. He pushed up his left sleeve, revealing a rather ancient looking ver clasped there. A single tap and a six foot long stave appeared in his grasp, a curving two foot blade on each end making it look like a double ended glaive. It was also riddled with enchantments, every inch of its surface covered in Alurannai talisman work of as ancient a style as his ver.

His eyes narrowed.

"Yasin made me this weapon when I was just twelve thousand years old, and it has known the touch of open air less than a thousand times since I received it; that is on average I use it maybe once every three thousand years. I used it twice during the Kharlan War... both of them occasions when several thousand soldiers vanished without a trace." His eyes were dark. "When I clean up, I'm very thorough, and the same goes for when I fight with this stave. Yasin understood that there are times when to fight and kill are a necessity, and in return for his trust in giving me such a powerful weapon it I use it only for the most important of those times. Have no fear, Botta, I will do all I must to ensure the mission's success. I already have the blood of thousands on my hands, a terrible burden, but I am willing to add to it for the sake of the Restoration."

He strode off towards the now undefended elevator, the group looking on in shock as Zelos murmured.

"Whoa... All of a sudden that guy scares me." He frowned and then followed. "But at the same time, I trust him..."

Everyone nodded, heading either after the Crystal User or after the also departing Botta, the silence surrounding them filled with tension. Once all those with him were inside the elevator, Kaleian accessed his ver again and produced a tiny metal plate covered in some kind of embedded coding. Unceremoniously he yanked the access panel off below the elevator controls, ripping a data card from a slot among the wires behind it and inserting the one he held. Almost immediately the screen above the panel began displaying a rapid succession of commands in a language none of them had seen before, Kaleian stepping away from it and standing on the elevator platform beside them.

"All of the main door systems are also linked to the elevator system. I've set a program away that will rewrite the access protocols of the whole network, and to alter it you'd have to understand my native tongue." The tiniest hint of amusement reached his eyes. "That language is dead in all but me and those among the Alurannai who are scholars. Nothing in this base can operate the main access doors and elevator now but for the Renegades who I've told the codes to. Nothing gets in or out unless we allow it."

He pressed his foot on the floor plate that would trigger the movement of the elevator to the set destination floor, the disk rising upwards through the shaft passing several chambers like that which they had been in. Finally, after almost a minute, it came to a stop before an ornate door, Lloyd drawing his swords as he regarded it.

"I'm guessing the Control Room is behind that."

Kaleian nodded.

"It's technically Rodyle's office, but the control panels in there have overrides over those in the actual Control Room two floors below us. He doesn't trust anyone, and so made sure that the only one who can truly control this place is him." Before anyone could move towards it, he glanced sidelong at two members of the group. "Regal, Presea... I know you two bear a desire to see that man die for what his actions have done to you and those you care about, but do not let that affect your judgement."

Once again he led the way, striding through the doorway into a rectangular room lined with consoles, a huge window of sorts above a raised area at the end to their right showing a view of a huge domed chamber beyond. Looking through that window was Rodyle, who turned slowly to look at them with a smirk before pressing a button on a device he held.

"Well well, it seems he who was once my most trusted spy was in fact a Renegade. Kale, you pathetic vermin, do you seriously think you can stop what I just started?"

The transmitter on Kaleian's belt spluttered into life, a series of frantic shouts coming through it from each of the teams.

"Sir, the passages are flooding!"

"Commander Kaleian! We're trapped, there's water coming in!"

The half-elven man began to curse, unclipping a device from his belt and tapping away on it frantically before shouting into his transmitter.

"I've opened all the main doors! Get what prisoners you can and _run!_" He continued to tap. "Damn it, the valves letting the water in are in a different system from the one I hacked!"

Rodyle began to laugh as Genis glared at him.

"H…how could you do that?!"

Collette was equally angry.

"They'll all be killed!"

Lloyd drew his swords and began to advance on the smirking Cardinal.

"You bastard! Stop the water, now!"

Rodyle sneered.

"It's too late. I know why you've come here, and I'm sure you intend to shut down my Mana Cannon. But you won't succeed, I've filled the corridor leading to the Mana Cannon with sea water!"

The blond haired Chosen clenched her fists.

"You're going to kill all those people just to stop us?!"

He laughed.

"Who cares about the lives of pathetic inferior beings?! The Mana Cannon will soon be completed, and with Thor's Hammer in my possession, Yggdrasil and Cruxis will beg for my mercy! Even that eye-sore of a tower will fall before it!"

Lloyd was now halfway across the room.

"What do you hope to accomplish by destroying the Tower of Salvation?!"

The Cardinal pulled something out from beneath his cloak, revealing a glittering red crystal in his grip causing everyone to gasp.

"Heheheh, that's nothing you lower life forms need to concern yourselves with. With this Cruxis Crystal I stole from Derris Kharlan my cannon will be unstoppable, but I think I'll test its power first by equipped it on myself."

He removed an exsphere from the Key Crest on his hand, replacing it with the Crystal. The moment he did it Lloyd began to back away, but not in fear. He let out a laugh.

"You _do_ realise what you just did, right?"

Rodyle frowned.

"What do you mean, I equipped it like an exsphere, which is exactly what it's a type of..."

He stopped with a gasp of pain as Lloyd shook his head.

"Cruxis Crystals are far from the same as exspheres, and are completely unrelated... They can only be worn in certain places without harming the user, and the hand isn't one of them."

Rodyle's body began to distort, mutating as his mana began to go out of control.

"Ugh…what's happening?… My body…my body is disintegrating! Pronyma, you tricked me!" His now distorted voice, filled with agony, then gloated. "But I won't die alone! I'm taking you all with me!"

He collapsed, the breath gurgling from him before he went still. No sooner than those able to sense mana could sense he was dead than the alarm began to blare.

Raine rushed to one of the nearby terminals, fingers darting over the keyboard.

"No! He's activated the self-destruct system! He must have been wearing a dead man's switch!"

Kaleian rushed to the control panel Rodyle had been standing near.

"Dammit! We have to stop it!" His fingers were a blur as he tried to access the system, before he stopped with a curse. "None of the overrides I installed while I was an agent here are working, the self destruct is on a completely isolated system from the main computer core." He continued to type. "Why did I never take Yuan up on those computer hacking lessons? All this damn new technology, why couldn't things have stayed like they were before the War?"

The door into the office opened, Botta and his team rushing in.

"Then it's just as well that _I_ did." He ran over to Kaleian and pushed him aside, the other five Renegades moving to other terminals and getting to work. "We abandoned our attempt on the Reactor; any Desians down there will have drowned by now. There are inlet valves on every floor from what I can tell, and they're opening in sequential order from the lowest levels up towards this one. All of the teams have a clear exit if they're quick, but they've failed to get the prisoners stationed in the dome containing the Mana Cannon. I saw the team fleeing down the main passage with the water right on their heels."

Kaleian looked at the terminal screen.

"Can you stop the self destruct and close the valves?"

Botta nodded.

"Yes, I believe so. The rest of you should get out through that escape passage you told me Rodyle has in here. Me and my team will follow as soon as we're done."

The Crystal User nodded.

"Right." He looked at the group. "Follow me!"

He led them to a hidden door set into the side of the raised area below the terminal Botta was at, the group emerging inside the dome that had been visible through the window. Unseen by any of them though was that as soon as Kaleian had left his side Botta had brought up a diagram displaying the water level within the Ranch... and come to a decision.

"I'm sorry..." He looked at the five agents with him, and they nodded in understanding. "Keep reprogramming the valves."

He then typed something on his terminal, the panel into the floor the group had emerged through sliding shut. Kaleian gaping in shock before charging up to the window; the hatch was constructed of polycarbonate, he knew he'd never break through it in time.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

He slammed the end of his stave into the transparent panel, only managing to knock the smallest chip from its surface.

Botta tapped a few final commands into the terminal before him, the alarm falling silent as he turned and his voice came over the intercom between the two rooms.

"I've stopped the self-destruct, but the valves are on a timed system. We can't stop the flooding, so we're reprogramming them now to automatically drain the Ranch once the internal sensors detect the flow of water has ceased upon the flooding being complete."

Water came through the door into the office, now having begun welling up out of the elevator shaft as valves on the upper floors opened. Kaleian was still trying to break the window, but like the hatch and floor it was impregnated with polycarbonate so his enchanted weapon was having little effect.

Now equally desperate, Lloyd too began to strike it.

"Botta! Open the door! We can still get everyone out if we break the dome in here!"

In the office the five Renegades left their terminals, all of them coming to stand with Botta as the water in the room rose high enough to begin covering even the raised area where they now stood.

Botta shook his head.

"Our goal was to capture this Ranch in order to gain control of the Mana Cannon. Now that we've finished reprogramming this control room to drain the Ranch again, our mission is complete. We need you to get the message to Yuan that we have succeeded."

Lloyd could barely believe what he was hearing.

"Tell him yourself! Open the door, now!"

The Second closed his eyes.

"We pray for your success in regenerating the world. Please see to it that Martel is finally allowed her eternal sleep, for Yuan's sake as well."

He reached behind him and pressed something on the terminal, a shield beginning to slide down to cover the window as the water beyond rose past the trapped Renegades' waists. Seeing it descending, Collette rushed forward disbelieving of her cousin choosing to sacrifice his life."

"No!! Botta, don't do this!" She slammed into the window, pounding her fists on it as she continued to scream. "I won't let you die like this! I won't!!"

Her face screwed up as Botta and the agents were lifted from the floor by the rising water, in a sudden flare of light she disappeared and reappeared spluttering in the water beside six very startled men.

Seeing this Lloyd glanced once at the still descending shield and gasped.

"Why the hell didn't _I_ think of that?"

Both he and Kaleian light jumped through the window as Collette had done, each of them grabbing whatever clothing they could before in another flare of light nine soaking wet figures landed with a thud inside the dome.

Collette getting to her feet, she took hold of the front of Botta's robe and began to yell at him.

"How could you even _think_ of doing that?! How could you?!"

As she continued to reprimand him, Zelos looked surprised.

"Man… I don't think I've ever seen her that upset before."

"Everyone, behind you!"

Presea's shout cut through Collette's tirade and made everyone turn, the slowly opening maws of more than a dozen previously unnoticed cages catching their attention. Winged dragons began to emerge from them, a hundred at least, and with a chorus of shrieks they swarmed down towards the group.

With an efficiency and swiftness born of much experience fighting alongside each other, the group took up battle positions to defend their spell casters who began to pound the dragons with everything they could call up, while above them all Kaleian flew on blue dappled white wings using his stave to lay waste to the creatures higher up. When the last of the dragons fell he landed beside the now scratched and bruised members who had been on the front line, his dark blue eyes moving from one to another as he assured himself that all had survived. Sighing with relief when everyone was accounted for, he seared the blood from his stave and put it away.

"We've succeeded... The Mana Cannon is ours...

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Yes, I saved Botta. Think about it, Collette is an angel so technically she should be able to teleport like that... Man I wish that had been a usable tech in the game, that would have been so much fun. Anyways, back to Triet... and time for Botta to face the music from his sister XD**

**OMG, with this chapter I have officially archived over ONE MILLION WORDS on this site (Is speechless) Wow... And I have fics that still aren't finished and other fics planned...**


	78. Safe Return

**Alaia Skyhawk: Poor Botta... man I so do not envy him. Note: it was early morning when they left the Ranch, but still late evening in Triet.**

**For those of you who seemed a little confused by the 'Yasin holding green sphere' reference, it happened a loooooooooooooong time before the centurions fall asleep, etc, so strictly speaking they won't necessarily be at their altars.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 78: Safe Return

-

In the midnight darkness the group of jiisumura who had brought them through the Sentinels from the Palmacosta Region vanished back through the North Triet Sentinel. The group of Renegades and Restoration Team members set off across the dunes to the base among the heat haze in the distance. Smiles of success, subdued a little by the loss of almost a third of the Ranch Prisoners to the flooding, were on most of the faces, bar one who was glaring and the recipient of the glare who looked distinctly uncomfortable.

Botta tried not to wince, as his cousin kept his arm in an iron grip as though to stop him running off and doing something stupid again.

"Collette, is it really necessary for you to keep hold of me? My arm is beginning to go numb."

She frowned, loosening her grip a little but not letting go.

"I'm not letting go until I tell Brinia what you did! I can't trust you not to try and run away if I don't!"

Botta began to splutter in dismay as the nearby Kaleian raised an eyebrow and tried to smother a grin, the Crystal User failing miserably.

He began to laugh.

"Way to go, Collette, I didn't realise you had it in you to be so cruel. Being scolded by his sister is Botta's worse nightmare."

The blond haired Chosen seemed a little taken aback.

"It's isn't cruel! He's made a mistake and now he has to learn from it!"

Kaleian laughed even louder.

"And you and Brinia are going to teach him. This I have _got_ to see!"

Botta glared at him.

"You, Kaleian, are a sadist..."

The Crystal User held his hands up in surrender, still grinning.

"Guilty as charged." He walked over to the pair and picked a shocked Botta up and tucked him under his arm. "Well then my fair lady, shall we fly ahead to the base and expedite the start of the lesson. It will be far kinder than making him wait."

The blond haired girl smiled and nodded as Botta gaped in shock from under Kaleian's arm, her innocent nature not picking up on the implications of the statement but rather the mention of it being kinder.

"Yes, it's not nice to make people wait. Let's go see Brinia right away."

Botta might have said something at this point, were it not for the magical gag the man holding him cast upon him. Instead he looked desperately in the direction of the rest of the group, eyes pleading as a moment later the two Crystal Users spread their wings and sped off towards the base.

Watching them go, Lloyd shook his head.

"Remind me to go rescue him after we've spoken to Yuan; Kaleian seems to have a sense of humour as wicked as Vayla's when she gets going."

Zelos laughed as they continued to walk across the dunes.

"At least he's smiling again; back at the Ranch that dude was seriously scary."

Beside him Genis grimaced in agreement.

"Yeah. When he pulled that weapon out and told us about how he only uses it when there's killing for a serious reason to be done, for a moment I almost turned tail and ran."

Sighing, Lloyd began to walk a little faster, the rest of those present following his lead.

"Well he's out of it now. Let's hurry to the base; the sooner we make our report to Yuan the sooner I can rescue Botta from Collette and his sister."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"So there you have it. A couple of jiisumura are now inside the Ranch and will report in once the water has drained out again. Early checks on the Mana Cannon show that, as previously reported by the two agents inside the facility, it is complete and ready for use as soon as soon as the Cruxis Crystal supplied to the Renegades by the Alurannai is installed in the control mechanism."

Lloyd stood before Yuan in his office, the rest of the Seizure Team having gone to their quarters to get cleaned up before everyone would meet up in the base canteen.

Looking at the young man before him, this child who for now could not be that, Yuan sighed and turned his gaze to the Crystal in the box on the desk before him.

"I just wish Kratos had stayed long enough for you to see him, but he just showed up and left it without saying a word." He turned his attention to a collected of papers covered in diagrams. "He also left blueprints for a new engine design for the skimmer. I had my technicians begin building a set immediately, if you'd like to drop your skimmer off at the maintenance bay."

Lloyd's expression darkened for a moment at the mention of his father, the youth biting his lip before taking a deep breath.

"I'll do that after I've stopped by the Med Wing. It'll give me an excuse to drag Botta away from his sister if I ask if he wants to come take a look at the new design with me."

The lightning mage regarded him solemnly.

"You miss Kratos..."

The alurannai youth flinched and looked away.

"It's been almost two years now since we parted ways for the second stage of the Plan, and you're the only one who's spoken to him at all during that time apart from a few of the jiisumura... I just wish he'd visit me, even just for a few minutes, so that I can see for myself that he's alright."

Yuan got to his feet and came out from behind his desk.

"It's probably for the same reason he avoided the Iselia Region while you were growing up. He barely managed to walk away after the second visit, when he gave the letters to Dirk, and I'd hazard a guess that if he came to you now he wouldn't be able to bring himself to walk away again. Staying with you now would put you in danger, so he's keeping his distance to keep his parental instincts in check."

Lloyd sighed.

"Yeah, you're probably right. I know Vayla hesitated when she left the Flanoir Base a few months ago. I could see it in her eyes that she wanted to stay, but she's needed by our people right now to prepare for the worse case scenario should all out war erupt between us and Cruxis. It doesn't matter that in such a fight we'd win, since there's the chance that innocent bystanders might be hurt or killed. We need to avoid it at all costs, but also need to be prepared just in case."

The pair of them headed out the door and set off towards the Med Wing, Yuan frowning.

"Any idea how much medical supplies they've stockpiled in the last two years?"

Lloyd shook his head.

"No... Besides Vayla and a couple of jiisumura, the only other alurannai I've spoken to is Sheena who knows as much as I do. None of them have said anything about it, everyone's been too busy for more than necessary reports and stuff." He sighed. "It makes me feel like such a failure, that everyone is working so hard while I dawdle from one Temple to another waiting to be strong enough to face Origin. Dallinius says I'm strong enough now, but I can't help but wonder if he's been holding back in our sparing matches. The last three times I fought him I beat him."

Yuan stopped in his tracks.

"You've been sparring against the Second Sumara Lord? In a simulated Pact Fight?"

Lloyd looked back and nodded.

"Yeah, since he's got his power back I thought it was a good idea to practice with him, though he made sure to hold back a little since I've been fighting him alone and not with three people to help. I think he's been holding back more that he says he's been though."

The two of them set off again, Yuan mulling over what he'd just learned. He was still thinking it over when they passed through the main door into the Med Wing and were confronted by the sound of smothered laughter.

Kaleian was stood against the wall to their right, pounding his fist on the metal plating as he tried not to double up with mirth at what was happening inside the ward opposite him. Entering the door Lloyd and Yuan came face to face with Collette stood in the middle of the ward holding one of the metal trays usually used to carry medicine and medical instruments about, and it had a distinct dent in it. To her left a comatose Botta had been dumped into a bed with a frowning Brinia applying an icepack to his head.

Looking between the Chosen and the unconscious man, Yuan blinked.

"What happened?"

Collette winced.

"Well I brought him to Brinia and told her what she did... and she got so mad with him after I did she that grabbed the nearest tray and hit him with it."

The aforementioned medic began to mutter.

"If he ever does anything that stupid ever again I'll give him a lot worse than a concussion."

Lloyd began to back out of the room.

"Um, looks like I'll be checking on those new engines without him... Uh, see you around, Inanu Yuan."

The Nartu beating a hasty retreat, Yuan was left staring in bemusement at his Second while in the hallway outside the ward Kaleian continued to laugh his head off.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Coming out of the base canteen, two half-elves, three humans, and one alurannai turned as one to head for the guest quarters assigned to them. Now safe inside the facility, stomachs filled with the surprisingly delicious fare cooked up by the base's chefs from their limited array of ingredients, not one of them didn't yawn as the exertions of the past few hours caught up with them. Sleep was what they wanted now, and as they passed one of the junctions between hallways they crossed paths with another group with the same idea.

"I swear, I'm going to be dreaming Mana Cannon Controls for months...

"Yeah... Why the hell did First dump our next assignment on us like that? I thought we still had a couple of months to go before the thing was to be captured."

Nine sleep deprived humans and half-elves came out of the side passage, making a beeline for the accommodation wing beside the one reserved for guests; so bleary-eyed they didn't recognise the six people who had stopped in surprise at seeing them.

Blinking, Genis spoke.

"Tia, Galen... Guys, why do you look like something beat you up with a stick?"

The Steady Nine stopped, turning and looking back, startled. It was Tia who spoke.

"Genis?! Whoa when did you lot get here?"

Sheena answered.

"About an hour ago... We've just come from raiding the Remote Island Ranch and capturing the Mana Cannon. We were just on our way to bed." She frowned. "Has Yuan been giving you lessons at six in the morning again?"

All of the Nine shuddered, Firatai speaking with a wince.

"He told us a week ago that a raid was about to be staged, with all of us still not finished learning how to control all of the Mana Cannon's systems. We've been cramming lessons into every spare moment, and he only came back and let us out of 'class' ten minutes ago. He took off about an hour ago, which I guess was to get the report from you guys, then came back when he realised we'd still be sitting in there."

David grimaced as he continued where the half-elven woman left off.

"We found out the hard way a few weeks back not to leave until he said we can... He near nailed Yu to the wall with lightning after we assumed his leaving the room to receive a report meant the lesson was over... Turned out it doesn't, so we stay put until he tells us it is."

Raine stared.

"Are you saying he kept you 'in class' _all night?_"

Nine individuals winced and nodded, Tia speaking again.

"Yeah... Today's lesson actually began mid-afternoon the day before yesterday. He had food brought in for us at intervals of course... and coffee... _lots_ of coffee."

Six friends regarded the Nine in bemusement, Regal raising an eyebrow.

"Then by all means continue to your quarters. We won't keep you from the rest you obviously need right now."

Tia managed a weak smile as the rest of her team turned and headed down the hallway.

"Thanks." She followed after them, muttering. "If Yuan so much as _breathes_ inside our quarters in the next twenty-four hours I'll strangle him."

Watching them go, Genis frowned.

"It looks like we aren't the only ones under a lot of pressure. It must be a nightmare for them to be the only ones being taught to use the Cannon."

Sheena sighed.

"Yuan is supposed to be going to delete all traces of the blueprints for it from the Ranch's computers, and he'll probably go do that sometime around now since as a Crystal User being submerged in water with no air isn't a problem. He and Kratos are determined that no others with perfect recall see them, and that the number of people who know how to man it is kept to a minimum. The Steady Nine were picked because having been trained by Kratos their trustworthiness is beyond doubt, and also because besides Mika, Botta, and Brinia they're the only other Renegades who are in on the Plan. It just means they got the short end of the stick when Yuan brought the date of the raid forward. He probably wants them to have as much time as possible for them to get used to the actual Mana Cannon facility before we make our final pact... After all, Lloyd and I only have three more to make; Efreet, The Sylph, and Luna and Aska."

They continued on their interrupted walk to the guest quarters, Presea glancing sidelong at the ebon haired girl.

"Which are we going to do next?"

Zelos spoke up before Sheena had the chance to.

"Efreet... Lloyd and Sheena figured we'd end up here after raiding the Ranch, so picked him since he's closest to here. We're doing The Sylph after that, and then Luna and Aska after we stop by Nae Shiu."

Sheena elbowed him, drawing a yelp from the redhead.

"I could have answered that myself."

As she continued to glare at the Tethe'allan Chosen, Raine looked a little surprised.

"We'll be visiting Nae Shiu, the current Alurannai Capital?"

Sheena ceased her literal ribbing of Zelos and answered.

"Yeah, though it's more of a 'war headquarters' than our capital; The Forest Citadel of Alahnsyr will always the true capital of our people. Anyways, since we don't know how things will go after the final Mana Link is replaced, we're going to spend a week in Nae Shiu to rest up before we go do that. Things could get a little crazy once the Hourglass System is fully in our control, so Lloyd and I decided not to take any chances when we planned the route for the last three pacts. Lloyd sent a message to his insiatasi asking him what he thought, and Narim Breuntas replied that he agreed and wished us a safe journey."

They reached the hallway of the guest quarters, the six of them stopping for a moment before splitting up for the night as Raine nodded.

"It's settled then. Tomorrow morning we'll depart for the Triet Ruins."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The early morning light just cresting the tops of the dunes, Yuan looked back over his shoulder to where a cluster of figures departed from the base in the opposite direction from himself. It looked like Lloyd and the others were wasting no time in heading to make the next pact, and he knew that if he were right they'd have no trouble making it.

Stopping for a moment after descending into the dip between dunes, Yuan murmured in a quiet tone.

"Dallinius... I know you know me well enough to hear this... Can I have a word with you?"

No sooner than he said it than a great white wolf appeared before him and tilted its head. Dallinius regarded him with a look in his eyes that said he probably had a fair idea what this was about.

"What is it, Yuan? You never call me like this unless something is troubling you."

The lightning mage folded his arms, his expression solemn.

"Lloyd told me he's been having simulated Pact Fights with you as Sumara Lord, and that he beat you the last three fights in a row... He thinks you're holding back more than you say you will for a one-on-one fight... You haven't, haven't you."

The Spirit sighed.

"Lloyd feels greatly the weight on his shoulders as the Chosen of Restoration, and lately as the pact with Origin begins to loom closer he's been beginning to doubt himself... No, I have not been holding back more than I said; in fact I've been _increasing _the amount of my power I pit against him. I'd even go so far as to say that Lloyd is strong enough now to beat Origin in a Pact Fight with only Sheena beside him. Against a Greater Spirit such as Efreet, who he will face next, he could possibly even beat him alone if he used the correct strategy."

Yuan looked shocked.

"You're joking!"

Dallinius shook his head.

"No, I am not... Lloyd is Alurankhar and as such is naturally a quick developer in the sense of physical strength. Adding to that all the effort he's been putting into his training, he's now far stronger than Sheena and almost as strong as his father." He bowed his head. "I hate to say this, but Lloyd's 'childhood' is likely to be cut short like Kratos' was, although it will still be at least three and a half centuries before any possibility of him reaching adulthood. Lloyd no longer thinks like an alurannai child, though he is still incapable of seeing others as anything closer than adopted siblings. Sheena has been affected as well, and I worry that by the time this is over they may not be able to re-integrate with their crèche group. I've spoken of this with Breuntas, and he too shares my concerns... Kratos I have not told, he'd rush to Lloyd's side without regard for the Plan if he were to know."

Yuan closed his eyes, before opening them and heading for the Sentinel again.

"You're right, he would... I just hope that if you're correct that he can forgive himself for what all this has done to his son."

Dallinius watched him go, eyes shadowed, until the man was out of sight.

"We all walk a dark road in this troubled time, but it is the hope of a brighter future that calls us forward as candle will push back the darkness. If we hold true to that hope, then perhaps fears will not become reality and peace will return to our world."

The dawn sun rising gold above the desert sands, he then disappeared amid the rays that brushed the land at the dawn of the new day.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Whew, got a chapter up at last. Hopefully I'll get 3 or 4 up this week. Happy reading :D**


	79. Like Ghosts in the Night

**Alaia Skyhawk: This will likely be very short, but I wanted to keep it separate from the stuff with Efreet.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 79: Like Ghosts in the Night

-

"You're not serious! We can't stop to rest in Triet?!"

Genis stared at his best friend in shock, Lloyd sighing in resignation.

"You remember what happened in Palmacosta? Given the time it's been, word of Collette being ok and in the Palmacosta Region will have only just reached Iselia and this area... Do _you_ want to be the one to explain to the people in Triet just how it is that she and the rest of us have travelled over three thousand miles, crossing an ocean, in just one week?"

The young half-elven man fell silent before sighing.

"Fine, fine, I get the point; but how are we going to top up our water supplies if we have to avoid the frequently used oasis'?"

Raine glanced sidelong at her brother, her voice muffled by the drape of cloth over her mouth that was of the same material that swathed every two-legged member of the group to keep the sand out of their hair and clothes.

"The same way we did when we ran short of it the last time we travelled through the Triet Desert. Lloyd or Sheena will use conjuration the way Vayla did, to turn fire mana into water mana. They'll then use it to create water for us."

Eyes thoughtful beneath the dusty beige cloth covering his hair, Regal regarded the pair of alurannai youths.

"I must say, that conjuration ability of yours is certainly useful. You lit our campfires each night we were in the Flanoir Region where fire mana is scarce, and now you will make water in a place just as devoid of such. I can see part of why the Alurannai have kept themselves so separate from the rest of the world. Humans envy the abilities of just the Elves, the Alurannai would likely arouse even greater jealousy should their skills become well known."

Both alurannai youths frowned, Sheena speaking.

"Yeah conjuration is convenient, but it's not as simple as it looks. The longer we channel a particular element within a certain amount of time the harder it gets. If we have to keep filling our water canteens by turning fire mana into water, by the time we'll leave the desert it will be like repeatedly casting level three spells for both of us."

Lloyd continued.

"Picture our conjuration ability as being like a field of thick grass growing in rocky soil. You can walk barefoot across it comfortably, but if you keep walking the same path over and over the grass dies back from it and exposes the rocks which makes walking that path painful. Taking other paths lets the worn one grow back, as does not walking on any path at all... What I'm trying to say is that the route to make water mana wears out, and we have to rest it by conjuring other elements or not conjuring at all."

Presea nodded in understanding.

"So you're saying that the more you change mana to an element, the more mana you need to get a set amount."

Lloyd grimaced.

"Yeah, like Sheena said, if we have to supply _all_ of the water we'll need before we get out of the desert, just filling all of our canteens will drain us as much as casting three or four level three spells. There's a couple of oasis' along the southern reach of the desert though, so if we head to the Ossa Trail that way after we've gotten the next pact then it shouldn't be a problem."

Zelos held up a hand.

"Don't forget bro that you could always conjure ice and let it melt. _That _would give us water."

Genis rolled his eyes.

"But we'll need ice against Efreet. If they use conjuration to make ice for water on the way to him it will make it harder to fight him... There is _no_ ice mana in the Triet Ruins, so every bit of ice mana for the spells that get used against him will have to be converted by Sheena or Lloyd. The last thing we need is for them to wear themselves out to the point they can't make any ice mana without taking a long rest. Water or ice is what we'll have to use in there, and since they have to use water out here all we'll have left is ice."

The redhead sighed.

"Point taken. All right, ice for water is out... I have to feel sorry for them both, we're all literally depending on them to both survive and stay hidden from the people at the same time."

Lloyd let out a sound of annoyance which startled them all.

"Look, we can debate this later! Can we just keep moving?"

He picked up the pace a little while everyone stared at him in shock, a certain Tethe'allan Chosen making a mental note to speak to a certain Arshis regarding his adopted sibling's change in attitude.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Making sure that neither Sheena nor Lloyd noticed anything strange, Zelos slumped down beside a half-asleep Noishe and yawned before beginning to idly watch as Regal and Genis discussed between themselves what to cook for dinner now that the group had stopped for the night. It was something he'd done plenty often in the past simply because he liked the Protozoan's company, bad jokes not withstanding, and right now it meant that no one suspected that tonight there was an ulterior motive.

He remained silent as he sat there, seemingly absently scratching Noishe between the ears, until he discretely tugged the tip of one furry ear to get the canine's attention.

_/Yo, Fuzz Butt, a word please./_

One brown eye opened and glanced at him with annoyance.

**What?**

Zelos looked around furtively before directing his thoughts at the protozoan in as small an area as he could manage. He didn't exactly want the others to overhear any of this.

_/What's up with Lloyd all of a sudden? It's almost like a switch was flipped when we left the Ranch and began preparing to head for the next Seal. If I didn't know better I'd wonder if he'd lost the ability to care again; he's been so serious the past week since we left the base that it's almost like he's a different guy. Everyone is worrying about him, but he refuses to admit that anything is bothering him./_ He glanced at Sheena. _/Miss Quiet Heart has been living up to her name too. She's the only one who could possibly sense what's going on in his head right now and she hasn't uttered a word... the only one besides you that is./_

Annoyance faded, revealing concern.

**...He's scared...**

Zelos blinked.

_/My little bro is scared? Why? It's not like he's in this alone./_

Noishe let out the faintest of whimpers, an echo of the fear in his Bonded Partner's heart.

**Coming to Sylvarant has reminded him of just how little now stands between him and Origin... Just three more pacts and we will take the Sentinels to Exire for the pact with Maxwell, and then again to Heimdall in order to go to Origin himself... He's afraid of what might happen to his father when that time comes...**

It took all of the Tethe'allan Chosen's self control not to exclaim out loud.

_/What?!! What might happen to him?!/_ Noishe flinched, Zelos pinning him with a stare. _/Spill it, Noishe... Lloyd needs someone to talk to right now, and apparently neither you nor Sheena are it. Since Genis hasn't worked up the guts to confront you, it'll just have to be me./_

Another whimper was followed by a small sigh.

**All right... The Seal that holds Origin contained and his power stable is a very complex one, one which requires the power of the Summon Spirit of Life... or rather one connected to him. Kratos has just such a link, and since his spirit would become part of Krishka upon his death he can use his life mana, his essence, to form a shield around Origin. That shield mirrors Kratos' life, remaining whole while he is alive, and will only break when all of his life mana is released...**

Zelos almost choked.

_/He has to _die_?!!/_

Noishe twitched an ear.

**Not permanently... He basically needs to die of mana deprivation for a few seconds and then be transfused with mana from either a blood relative, or someone he knows well and is attuned to, to revive him before he **_**really**_** dies. Yuan has volunteered to be the donor, since Lloyd will need all of his energy to fight Origin once he's released, but the procedure still holds risks... If Kratos **_**were**_** to die, Lloyd would be faced with becoming Narim in less than fifty years time, for Breuntas certainly has no longer than that before old age takes him. Lloyd is carrying the burden of being the Chosen of Restoration, the burden of fear for his father, and the fear that if something goes wrong he'll be left to lead his people alone while still just a child.**

Zelos remained silent for a moment before speaking.

_/Man, no wonder he's tense... I already knew he was freaking wondering if he was strong enough to do this, what with all the training he does when we're in camp; but the rest.../_ He got up. "Thanks Noishe, I'm gonna go have a bit of a talk with my little brother."

With that Zelos strode across the camp and hauled a startled Lloyd to his feet, dragging him over the crest of the surrounding dunes to go have that talk.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"Well there's Triet Oasis... You guys are just going to have to sight see there some other time."

Genis pointed to the city lights barely visible through the darkness, speaking to the group members that had joined from the Ossa Trail onwards. They were several miles away from it, circling around it so they could continue heading south-west. Mezo was off scouting ahead, watching from high enough above not to be spotted so he could guide them around the myriad groups of travelers heading into and out of the desert settlement. It had been a trying day, ducking below the crests of dunes to hide from passers by, staying there until they were far enough away that it was safe to move again. Patience was wearing thin, but there was little they could do but keep dealing with it and move onwards. Now that it was dark, it was finally time to pass Triet itself. No one was going to get any sleep tonight, not until they were out of the traveled zone and in the un-walked wastes once more.

carrying on through the darkness, the sand whispering beneath their feet, the group was led by two young men walking side by side.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Wow, angsty. I've 'lowered' the power of the Alurannai in this, putting a cap on their conjuration ability. That skill was way open for abuse, so I thought I'd make it a bit more realistic.**


	80. Facing the Inferno

**Alaia Skyhawk: Time for a certain someone to make another appearance.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 80: Facing the Inferno

-

Stone fingers still reached up from the sands, crumbing walls still like the desperate hands of the drowning. Wind lifted veils of dust to drift across the barren remnants of the ancient streets, the group walking slowly towards the same empty square that had been camped in four years ago. Stopping within it, tents were handed out and set up, as was the cooking equipment and a small stack of firewood. The resulting stodge to emerge from the pot a while later, made of grains, dried meat, and vegetables, contained only the barest minimum of water to cook it, the slightly strained expression on Sheena's face as she topped up the group's canteens revealing the reason why.

Eyeing up the mush in their bowls, not one member of the group was particularly enthusiastic about eating the same thing they'd had every night for the past three weeks. Food was food though, and no one turned it down either.

One by one, as the sun set and the stars began to wink into being in the darkening sky, the members of the group entered their tents and went to sleep, all but he who had insisted on being the night watch tonight. Looking up at those stars, his expression lonely, Lloyd sighed.

_Almost time for another pact, Ata. Tomorrow I'll have to fight Efreet, and then I'll only have two pacts to go before we have full control of the Hourglass System. After that, just one more and I'll have to face Origin... One more and you'll have to._

He bit his lip, closing his eyes for a moment before looking up at the stars again.

_Zelos gave me a good talking to two weeks ago. He told me off for bottling up my fears, and made me promise to tell him even the smallest thing bothering me. Insimyrtasi Hiria would be really proud of him, and I'm glad I 'adopted' him... Especially with what he promised me in return for what I promised him._

He leaned back, resting on his hands.

_He promised me that if the worse ever happened, he'd stay by me for the rest of his life to keep me company._

Lloyd let out a small laugh.

_He even threatened to take his Cruxis Crystal from the high altar chamber, in the back of the cathedral in Meltokio, and use it. He _actually _swore to me that if you were to die at Origin's Shrine he would tie himself to the service of the Nartana for the next ten thousand years or so, for as long as I live... So many people think he's self-centred spoiled brat, a man who has nothing going for him but his title. If only they knew what kind of man he really is._

Eyes moving across the spread of the starry blanket above, Lloyd smiled.

_What are you doing now, Ata? I wish I knew, but for now all I can hope is that you're ok. Wherever you are, be careful, and wish me luck._

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

A figure walked along the forest floor, the canopy far far above as he stepped among the immense Mother Trees of Aluran. Circling around one trunk so thick you could fit an average house within it, Kratos glanced from one tree to another trying to orientate just where he was in relation to that which he was looking for.

He frowned, knowing he didn't have long before Pronyma would catch up with him again. Tracking him by his mana signature may be slow, but it was still effective. Within a week or so of his using a Sentinel to travel a large distance, she would locate him again and the chase would begin anew. Two years of this scenario had made it a tedious one, and one that he was certain was pushing her patience to its limits, but that was where the plant-like part of his nature gave him the advantage. He didn't doubt that, orders from Yggdrasil or not, she would soon give up trying to follow him. As soon as she did, Kratos would ask Krishka to blank out his mana signature and he would become untraceable and free to take up whatever task would be required of him next. Laying a deliberate trail had kept her searching for him, but every action must have an end, and he only hoped that the end of this one would come soon.

He straightened a little, having spotted one of the distinctive boulders on the forest floor that his was looking for. Now knowing where he was, he turned due east and walked for a few hundred paces. Finding himself in a larger than average area between trees, he looked up and was just able to make out the charred remnants of the great beams that had spanned between these trees and cradled the Palace of the Nartana five thousand years ago. He began to search the area, stepping over ancient rotting fragments of once spell preserved wood as his eyes scanned among the leaves for what he hoped would still be here. Back and forth he went, going over and over the area as the day's light began to fail. Soon he would have to leave, with it being possible that he wouldn't get another chance to search here for several months. Still, he didn't give up, stubborn will keeping him looking as long as there was sufficient light for him to see by. Eventually, that will paid off.

Fading light gleamed off the surface of a handful of pale blue stones, the remains of a metal but now rusted box crumbling away as Kratos reached among the leaves and lifted the stones free. He weighed them in his palm, a small smile on his face. Most of the Mana Fragments had been moved to the Giant Tree's Meadow when Alahnsyr had been abandoned, that store later being plundered by Cruxis. A few boxes had been left behind though, one of which had been inside the Palace of the Nartana.

He slipped the stones into a pouch and put it in his ver, spreading his wings and taking flight to leave the forest.

_Now should Collette fall ill as Martel did, we won't have to raid Derris Kharlan to cure her..._

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The two Protozoans had remained outside, keeping watch over the column-lined plaza that cradled the temple entrance. A handful of Fire Elementals had accosted the group part way along the promenade, just as had happened on the first visit, but experience and now greater numbers in the group meant they were dealt with swiftly and without the use of spells. Those who had been picked for the fight ahead stayed at the back, the rest of the group clearing whatever fire creatures might attack them in the temple depths. Just as before the group passed through the corridor-like room with its basalt walls and columns, and again they headed towards the fiery chamber beyond.

Lloyd kept his eyes on the wall to their left, counting the pillars beyond the first door and keeping doing so as they neared the junction with the curved passage that had once been a part of the lava cave at the temple's heart. Eventually, he stopped and thumped the wall between two of the pillars, getting a hollow thud in response.

He smiled.

"The passage for pilgrims is still here, just as Vayla said it would be. Guys, time to smash the wall."

He stepped back from the stone, as Collette, Genis, Regal, and Presea each took turns to slam the wall with weapon or spell. Several minutes later the wall succumbed to the barrage and a hole appeared, some judicious levering courtesy of Presea's axe breaking another piece free and creating a gap big enough for the group to slip through.

The air in the passage beyond was stale but breathable, the carved walls emblazoned with depictions of the Way of the Forces revealed by the ball of fire Genis gathered between his palms. The Passage was short, the square chamber at its end containing the teleporter panel they were looking for, the very one that the Saeniisumura had taken Vayla, Sanaro, and Martel through all those millennia ago. The panel was inactive, turned off by Kratos when he'd modified the temple for Cruxis, but thankfully Vayla had had the foresight to supply the group with a set of written instructions as to how to reactivate the device.

The members of the group stood back and watched as Lloyd and Raine read through the notes on the scrap of paper he'd pulled from his ver, the pair of them pressing several symbols around the edge of the crystal and metal disk until with a faint shimmer of resonance a pale blue glow began to emanate from it.

Putting the paper away, Lloyd sighed.

"Time to face Efreet... Sheena, Zelos, Raine, you all ready?" All three nodded, expressions determined. "Right then, let's get this done. Everyone else, wait here until we come back."

He stepped onto the panel and vanished, the other three fighters following. When they appeared again they were in the altar chamber of the temple, a halo of flames already rising from the altar.

The flames stilled, sinking back as Efreet emerged from among them, the wraith-like spirit regarding them with intense blue eyes.

"You have returned at long last, Chosen of Restoration."

Lloyd and Sheena stepped forward.

"We are Lloyd Aurion and Alysii Targathyr. We seek a pact with Efreet, and ask that you anulst thy pact with Mithos, and by our right as alurannai, establish a new join pact with us."

He nodded.

"I will test your strength. Let the fight begin!"

With only that moment's notice a streak of fire shot towards them, Zelos racing forward and slashing it with his sword. The flame froze, the sapphire ring on his right hand flaring as its innate power infused his blade with ice. Another bolt screeched towards him, and this time he blocked it with his shield revealing that he wasn't wearing just _one_ ring, he was wearing both Lloyd's _and_ Sheena's Ice Pact Rings, one on each hand.

He smirked.

"Ice blocks fire... You've got to do better than that."

Angered by the taunt, Efreet charged after the redhead who sprinted around behind him and began to circle the altar. Meanwhile Sheena and Raine were setting up their own side of things, the alurannai girl's song shield rising to protect her and the healer while Raine sent the silvery light of Allied Sanctuary washing over all four members of the battle team. They weren't the only ones setting things up though, for Lloyd was doing a cast of his own.

Eyes fixing on the back of the Spirit which was still trying to catch the madly dodging and blocking Zelos, Lloyd smiled determinedly as the triple spell circle of a summoning appeared beneath him.

"I call upon the Disciple of Everlasting Ice! I summon thee! COME CELCIUS!"

Efreet spun around in surprise, bracing himself in preparation for the expected attack and surrounding himself with an aura of flame. Celsius did appear, but the smirk on her face said Lloyd had asked something far different than an attack from her.

She flipped a strand of her black hair out of the way of her eyes.

"Nice try, Efreet... Brace yourself, Lloyd!"

Lloyd raised a hand up towards the spirit, letting her draw every scrap of fire mana through him that he could stand to turn to ice before he dropped to his knees from the pain. Taking that raw blast of frigid energy, she threw it into the surrounding air causing the temperature in the chamber to plummet.

Ice coated the floor, shot up the walls, misting through the air as Efreet found his flames snuffed out by the sudden freeze of everything around him. He glared at her, about to call up another wreath of embers when suddenly a pair of arms appeared around his waist, the sapphire rings on the attached hands blazing.

Zelos, grimacing as the heat of direct contact with the spirit began to scorch through his clothing, yelled at girl within the song shield.

"Go for it, Sheena!"

Sheena dropped the shield as Celsius vanished, sending wind gusting around the walls.

"Wind's might split the air! Cry the wail of destruction at thy passage! GALE SCYTHE!"

Great blades of air began to slash through the chamber, stripping the ice from the walls and flinging it in a barrage at the startled Spirit while the man clamped to his waist added insult to injury.

"Storm's rage, come forth! THUNDER BLADE!"

Ice shards struck the Spirit, melting to water which rebounded the first strike of lighting spell back onto him a tenfold. Water evaporated, but was then frozen again by the two rings in the heart of the cloud of mist. Ice struck Efreet again, again melting as the second of the three strikes of Thunder Blade hit him. The cycle went round again, the third strike hitting home as the last of Sheena's wind-flung ice shattered and cascaded to the floor in partially melted pieces.

Zelos dropped to the floor and staggered away from the semi-frozen Efreet, scorched and covered in slashes. He may have been protected from direct spells by his friends, but the ice shards were secondary and as physical and not spell attacks the very rings that had enabled the devastating combination spell hadn't protected him all that much. Raine was at his side before he'd even gone five paces, having begun heading for him even before Sheena had cast the wind spell that began that eternity-seeming combination which had in fact lasted barely eight seconds.

Seeing that the half-elven woman was seeing to the injuries they'd been expecting Zelos to end up with, Lloyd walked towards Efreet, wincing a little at the aftermath of both summoning Celsius and transforming so much ice mana, and pointed a sword at him.

"That good enough for you?"

Efreet didn't answer right away, instead taking several seconds to thaw enough ice free of his body so that he could speak. When he'd managed, he nodded stiffly as yet more ice and dripping water fell away.

"Yes... You are a formidable opponent, and an innovative strategist." He glanced at Zelos, who was still bloodied but no longer bleeding. "You also have a great deal of courage, you _and_ your companions. Lloyd, Alysii, state your vows."

Both of them smiled as Sheena came to stand beside her crèche mate.

"We Vow for the sake of all, to do what we must to restore the mana for the sake of the World."

Efreet nodded again, power drifting out to each of them and becoming rings set with garnet. As soon as the rings were put on, Zelos tossing the Ice Rings back to them, Celsius appeared again.

"The Ice-Fire Mana Link is about to break."

The two alurannai youths glanced at each other and ran over to the Seal, leaning over the edge to place their be-ringed hands onto one of the Backups installed inside the main rim. The Backups began to blaze, the same starburst of mana erupting through them as had occurred at the Temple of Lightning.

As soon as the light faded Lloyd and Sheena stepped back and turned to face the two stood watching them.

Zelos gave them a thumbs up and grinned.

"Way to go! Great job beating him to a pulp with those spells."

Sheena put her hands on her hips.

"Hey, don't forget that _you_ helped too. I still can't believe Lloyd talked you into planting yourself in the middle of the firing line like that."

Zelos looked a little sheepish as Lloyd cleared his throat.

"Um, actually that was _his_ idea... When I came up with the idea of having Celsius use ice mana I conjured, and you casting Gale Scythe to blast the resulting ice at Efreet, Zelos asked me how I was supposed to buy the time to do it without him stopping us. I said I'd loan him my Ice Ring, so his sword would be ice infused and could cancel out a fire attack, and then he asked what if he wore yours as well. We experimented after that, and found that if you put water near the rings and send mana through them they freeze it. He came up with the lightning bit on his own after that since we knew the ice would melt as it hit Efreet."

Sheena blinked.

"You mean he came up with that and chose to get himself injured on purpose to get us the pact?" She charged up to him and grabbed him by the front of his scorched overcoat. "Are you crazy?! After what Botta did I would have thought you'd know better than to risk yourself like that."

Gently trying to disengage her fingers from his clothing, Zelos spoke in a tone that he hoped would convince her not to continue screaming at him.

"Sheena, I thought the whole thing through, believe me. Lloyd and I did some careful tests to see how much resistance the rings would give me against ice that wasn't a spell, and while the protection was far from perfect we figured out it was enough that I'd only be roughed up a bit. You don't need to worry about me, I'd never do something like recklessly throw my life away. I care about you too much to hurt you that way."

Sheena looked surprised, loosening her grip and taking a step back.

"Did you just say you care about me? Care as in _like_?"

Zelos began to stutter, flushing almost as red as his hair.

"I uh... um... well... Ah... yeah, I do."

He looked away, tugging on a strand of hair as he continued to blush, Sheena looking shocked before she recovered and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I think that, even though I've known for a while now that your flirting routine is just an act, I've still been judging you by the impression I had of you from before I got my memories of back." She sighed. "It's just a pity that I'm alurannai, since you'll be long gone before I'll be able to love you that way in return. I think, knowing you the way I do now, I take back what I said after we left Sybak. If you were still around by that point, you _would_ stand a chance; I'm just sorry it can never be."

She headed for the teleporter panel, Raine following her after a moment while Lloyd came to stand beside Zelos. Placing a hand on his shoulder, the young Nartu murmured.

"If you love her that much then _I_ have no objection." Zelos turned and looked at him puzzled, Lloyd giving him a long look. "Just because it's part of a promise you made to me should something bad happen to my ata, doesn't mean you can't do it anyway... After all that thing officially belongs to you, what you do with it should you take it from its resting place is up to you."

Saying nothing more Lloyd followed Sheena, Zelos heading after him a moment later smiling to himself.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Aww, ZelosxSheena fluff. I think you can spot where that is going in terms of Zelos, when it will happen you'll just have to wait and see.**


	81. Walking an old path

**Alaia Skyhawk: Yes, Zelos is going to end up a Crystal User, though not for a while yet. You see him with wings in his Mystic Arte in ToS2, but from one scene he apparently has none at all :S Anyways, I'm going with the view that he gets them for my series. Yeah I'll lose a gag for book four, but I can always make up plenty of my own XD**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 81: Walking an old path

-

"Now _this_ brings back some memories." Collette smiled as she darted a short way along the rocky path, stopping just where it began to slope downwards, framed by the cliffs to either side. She pointed to a rusting metal hatch. "Remember this?"

The next instant Sheena turned beet-red while Lloyd and Genis smothered laughter.

The silver haired mage braced himself against a nearby rock as the newer members of the group looked between him and Sheena puzzled.

"How can I forget? When Sheena tripped over the lever and opened that maintenance hatch, and then slammed into the underside of it when I closed it in her face when she tried to jump back up... Man that was funny!"

The alurannai girl in question put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

"Hey! No it wasn't! Falling into that thing and then hitting the hatch hurt! It wasn't funny in the slightest!"

Lloyd, his laughter fading to chuckles, glanced at her.

"Admit it, it's funny when you look back at it. That was the day we found you again, the day you began getting your memories back. It started out with you trying to kill Collette, and ended with you setting out to help her instead."

Two pairs of blue eyes blinked in surprise, Presea speaking what was on both hers and Regal's minds.

"You tried to kill Collette?"

Sheena grimaced.

"To cut a long story short I was sent out by Mizuho in service to the King and the Church, with the mission to ensure the failure of Sylvarant's Regeneration Ritual and the continuation of Tethe'alla's flourishing state... Basically, to kill Sylvarant's Chosen so she _couldn't_ succeed. This was where I launched my attack, and it was just down the valley that during the fight I had against Collette and the others I saw my myrtasi's face, and she mine, when our head wraps fell off. I ran off, but returned a few hours later after I remembered who she was and then joined up with the group. I've been part of it since then."

Regal raised an eyebrow.

"That certainly is an... interesting way to change sides all of a sudden."

The former ninja cleared her throat.

"Yeah, and the headache from slamming face first into the underside of the hatch wasn't great either."

Raine headed over to Collette, indicating the descending trail.

"Shall we keep moving? It's not that far to the Path of Departed Comrades, and we could perhaps camp beside the memorial tonight since we never stopped to look at it last time."

Sheena nodded and smiled.

"Sure, I'd like to see the monument to my myrta and the rest of the Nine Companions, even if they didn't die that day like that merchant guy thought."

Two half-elven siblings, a blond chosen, and an ebon haired girl heading off down the path, Zelos' confused voice reached Lloyd's ears.

"'Didn't die that day', 'memorial', 'merchant'? I have no clue what any of that was about."

Lloyd shook his head in amusement, leading three baffled Tethe'allans after the others.

"I'll explain it on the way down..."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Laughter rippled through the air, pink and purple wings glittering in the sun as two young women flitted about in a mad game of tag with Mezo as the rest of the group looked on. A blanket had been strewn out upon the grass of the plateau at the end of the Path of Departed Comrades, the distant glint of the sea visible on the horizon to the east. That blanket was now being covered with all manner of things that they'd not been able to cook while trying to save water, and now was as good a time as any to let loose.

Setting down a platter of biscuits that had been baked on a flat metal plate beside the campfire, Zelos frowned a little.

"How come we're celebrating Collette's birthday? We've been ignoring all our own for the past few months, so why the sudden change? Hey!"

He flinched at the clip he'd gotten round the back of his head from Raine, the half-elven woman walking past him and setting down her own contribution... which thankfully was meat and cheese sandwiches.

"Don't forget that this is a birthday that two years ago Collette never thought she'd live to see. Today, her twentieth birthday, also marks the fourth anniversary of the beginning of our journey. Given what we have left to do to complete the second stage of the Plan, this could well be the last birthday she'll have during our journey. By the time she turns twenty-one this could all be over, and the two worlds merged together once more."

Genis grinned from the other side of the blanket, as he set down a couple of plates of crackers with various toppings put on them.

"Just think, the next anniversary we could be celebrating our victory. I hope so, since as cool as travelling around like this is, I _do_ want to get back to the life I put on hold. I've still got a place reserved for me at the Palmacosta Academy, not to mention all the other things I want to see. I want to see Collette's father get to leave Iselia and fulfil his dream of building a ship at Palmacosta, and I want to see her mother get to go with him and see the world after being trapped in Iselia all her life."

Raine sighed.

"I'd like to get the chance to find mother and father; and if they're alive to see them again and find out everything that's happened to them since we got separated."

Zelos nodded.

"Yeah... I'd like my sister Celes to get the chance to travel too, to go wherever her sense of adventure might take her." He folded his arms. "And I'd like to get to spend some time with the Alurannai. While I'm good friends with a couple of them, I'd still like to get to know my Aunt Hiria's people better. I've heard a few people say now that I think more like one of them than like a human, and I want to see if they're right." He glanced to his left, where a certain duke was sat on a clear spot of his own on the blanket. "What about you, Regal? What will you do when this is over?"

The blue haired man mulled over it for a moment.

"Quite likely I will aid in the rebuilding of the worlds, and do what I can to promote friendship between the two sides."

Presea piped up from beside him.

"I'd like to help with that as well, for I'm sure that would have made my sister happy."

Zelos turned to Lloyd next.

"What about you bro? Besides collecting exspheres so people can't be hurt by them anymore, what will you do?"

The young Nartu grimaced.

"Uh, as soon as I've completed the exsphere stuff I'll have to go back to Aluran. My people should have rebuilt the Citadel by then, so I'll have to get started on my studies... My job for the rest of my life will be to serve my people, and that job requires me to know a fair bit about a _lot_ of different things, and know a lot about a whole load more. It took my ata almost four hundred years to learn it all, and that's _with_ a perfect memory and recall."

The red headed Chosen winced.

"Yeouch, that's harsh. Wow, and to think I once thought it would be cool to be a prince."

The next second he made a run for it as Lloyd spread scarlet wings and launched himself in his direction. Two seconds after that they were tumbling through the grass, wresting like a pair of ten-year-olds and not two young men in their twenties. Watching them with a hint of bemusement, Raine shook her head.

"I'd complain about them acting like children, but then Lloyd technically _is_ still one."

Her brother laughed.

"Put it this way, Sis. The more steam they run off now, the less they'll have during the eight weeks we gonna have to spend sailing round the southern edge of the Holy Grounds to get to the coast south-east of Asgard."

Five seconds later found _him_ running through the grass, his sister in hot pursuit holding her staff with malice intended.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: (Sighs) Short, I know, but I'm running out of stuff for them to do between main events. So rather than give myself writer's block and end up delaying the next update, I'm gonna do a big time skip. Worst comes to worst I can always fill travel sections I pass over now with one shots later on.**


	82. Seventh Pact and Time of Rest

**Alaia Skyhawk: No... Not that, anything but that!!**

**Writing Bug: Wite, wite it! (Translation: Muahahahahaha! It's me again!)**

**Alaia Skyhawk: Just one more chapter after this and then it's the one where one of my series-long secrets will be revealed... The suspense is killing me!!**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 82: Seventh Pact and Time of Rest

-

The ziggurat's sides descended to the land below around them, stepped sides falling away from where they stood at the top of the structure. The trip here had been uneventful, day after day of sailing, followed by day after day of walking and carefully avoiding other travellers. While enough time had passed now that to have been seen in the Asgard Region when they'd passed through it wouldn't have raised questions of travel speed, the fewer people saw them now the easier making a cover story would be later.

Edging towards the altar they'd first seen three years previous, Lloyd and Sheena stopped before it and waited. The wind continued to blow past them, swirling towards the arc of mountains surrounding the valley where the temple lay. It seemed almost an eternity before that flow of wind stirred to a different pattern, and in a flare of light three winged figures appeared before them.

The Sylph gazed down at them, Sephie tilting her green-haired head as she regarded them.

"Speak, ye who seek wrest our power away from the Betrayer."

"We are Lloyd Aurion and Alysii Targathyr. We seek a pact with The Sylph, and ask that you anulst thy pact with Mithos, and by our right as alurannai, establish a new join pact with us."

Yutis smiled.

"So far you have travelled, so much you have faced. I, the Blue Wind Princess, am honoured that this day has finally come."

Fairess remained silent for a moment, inspecting her fingernails until with a start she realised everyone was waiting for her to say something.

"Um... What she said." She backed up a little as her sisters glared at her. "W-what?"

Sephie rolled her eyes and sighed.

"You remain as hopeless as ever." Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to Lloyd and Sheena. "Pick who you would have fight beside you; the rest must return to the chamber below."

Lloyd looked over his shoulder at his friends.

"Collette, Genis, you're up."

The rest of the group left while blond haired Chosen smiled brightly and Genis meanwhile turned his kendama over in his hands with a slightly wicked expression on his face as he contemplated the array of earth spells he now had at his disposal.

Fairess looked down at them in shock.

"A ditzy blond and a guy mage barely more than a kid? Do you think we're pushovers?"

She flew off to one side of the platform in a huff, her sisters gazing at her with some annoyance.

Sephie was about to reprimand her when Lloyd butted in.

"Look, can we start this already. She can sulk all she wants if she thinks it will do any good."

The green haired member of the trio nodded and sighed.

"True... Very well, let us begin."

She drew her sword, Yutis her bow, while in her corner Fairess reluctantly called forth her shield. They were about to attack when Lloyd said something to the blond girl beside him.

"Go for it, Collette!"

Still grinning sunnily, Collette vanished in a flare of light and appeared right beside the now shocked Fairess. That shock only increased, as Collette used her angelic strength to wrench the shield from the Spirit's grasp and began to beat her over the head with it. About ten seconds later, as Sephie and Yutis could only watch in confused amazement, Fairess fell to the floor unconscious and Collette turned to face the remaining two.

She gripped the shield, sending light mana along its rim.

"Love and justice will always win! RAY THRUST!"

With a heave she launched the shield at the left of the two spirits, the light mana she'd used keeping its path straight and true. The giant improvised chakran slammed into Yutis before both it and her thudded to the floor and stayed there.

Lloyd and Sheena advanced on Sephie, the latter of the two speaking.

"Now it's just you versus us..."

The leader of The Sylph looked between them and Genis who was still stood where he'd been at the start of the fight tapping his foot.

"What about him? Why bring him if you planned this?"

Lloyd laughed.

"Oh he's here to make sure those two stay down." He pointed at Yutis and Fairess. "They move so much as an inch before this fight is over, and he'll pin them to the floor with Stone Spears like bugs on a board. So are you going to duel Sheena and I, or not?"

Sephie frowned, before tightening her grip on her sword and charging at them. Lloyd and Sheena ducked and dodged around her attacks, only a few slipping through to scrape cloth or brush skin. Genis and Collette just stood back and watched, keeping a close eye on the two downed Spirits to make sure neither woke up and tried something sneaky. The hand-to-hand battle with the remaining Spirit drawing out to almost its third minute, Sephie finally made the mistake that saw blade and enchanted card held to her throat.

She closed her eyes, and then with a brush of power revived her sisters.

"You win... Make your vow."

Yutis and Fairess both nursing the colossal bruises inflicted on them by the still smiling Collette, Lloyd and Sheena spoke as the three sisters hovered before them once more.

"We Vow for the sake of all, to do what we must to restore the mana for the sake of the World."

The Sylph nodded as one, Sephie speaking for them all as power drifted from them to become opal rings in the hands of the two alurannai.

"We accept your vow, and gladly place our power in your hands." She glanced at her sisters, the pink haired one of the two eyeing a certain Chosen rather nervously, and continued in a resigned tone. "And now time for _him_."

Almost as if her words were the signal, Gnome appeared in the air beside his opposites.

"Hiya Sylph! It's been like, uh, four thousand years! How ya doin'?"

Sephie face-palmed.

"Fine until you showed up... Lloyd, Sheena, the Mana Link."

As with the two previous Links, ring-bearing hands touched one of the Backups and the new Link was instated, the four Spirit's watching with interest.

Yutis tilted her head and smiled.

"It feels good, the new Link. A new path of mana, untainted by madness within he who betrayed us, a path we would use to bring the life of a new Tree into our world."

Fairess frowned.

"But it still means we're connected to the rat."

Gnome glared at her.

"Hey, I resent that!"

"Well it's not _my_ fault you look like a rodent!"

The pair descended into a full-scale argument, Sephie and Yutis both looking as though they wanted to disown their sister. The green haired of the two spoke.

"Ignoring those two, Yutis and I will carry you down to your friends. They've just passed out of the main entrance and into the courtyard, probably thought to watch the fight from there. A pity it is already over if that is the case."

Wind swirled around them, Genis exclaiming as he was lifted off the ground. Lloyd, Sheena, and Collette were more philosophical about it, being used to floating through the air already. Thirty seconds later found them set down before their friends, Zelos' look of disappointment revealing that Sephie's conclusion had been correct.

He groaned.

"Aww, no fair, you beat them already?"

Genis grinned.

"Yup! You should have seen the look on their faces when Collette grabbed Fairess' shield and began to beat her up with it. Like Lloyd guessed, the other two were so shocked by it that they just sat there and watched until she threw the shield at Yutis and knocked _her_ out as well. Lloyd and Sheena just out fought Sephie after that."

The aforementioned Spirit glanced sidelong at the Nartu.

"A very creative if unusual strategy... What made you come up with it?"

Sheena laughed and answered for him.

"When we were little Sanaro stayed in Nae Shiu for quite a long time. He'd tell us stories about his travels with our parents, and the Pact Fight he took part in against you was one of them."

Yutis blinked.

"Him? That guy knocked out Fairess with her own shield after she kept breaking his nose with... Ah yeah I see where it came from now."

"Nartu Lloyd..." Everyone turned; surprised as almost a dozen alurannai entered the courtyard. At the front was a messenger wearing a yellow reta, its collar marked by a single azure band ending in a Kharlan flower on each side. His expression held a hint of hope, a lightening of spirit that said he'd been waiting for this for some time. "I am Brinder, one of Lady Anna's personal messengers. I come here with these others to escort you, and transport those who need it, through the Wind Sentinel to the Settlement of Nae Shiu." He smiled. "It's finally time for you to see her again."

The group turned to look at Lloyd, as tears welled up in his eyes. He set off towards Brinder and fell in alongside as the man turned to lead the way.

"Yes, time at last for me to see my home again."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

They arrived beneath the eaves of a forest, birdsong echoing around them as wind whispered through the leaves overhead. In the midst of the mass of alurannai, humans, half-elves, and protozoans, Lloyd and Sheena looked at those trees with tears flowing down their faces. Without a word they broke into a run, sprinting towards the place they knew was only just beyond sight through the shadows of the trees. Walkways came into view, those paths lined by almost the entire population of the settlement who stood waiting for the long awaited return of the once lost children to this place, and on the leaf strewn ground by the first of the spiral stairways leading up to those paths stood three individuals who had waited for this far more than anyone else.

Grey, violet, and yellow-green eyes looked out from beneath blond, tawny brown, and dark brown hair respectively; Yrand, Tailan, and Jeraideu looking hopefully at the two they had spent the first five years of their life growing up beside. Lloyd and Sheena skidded to a stop, uncertain, standing there utterly still as the rest of their friends caught up and came to a stop behind. Then, with barely a movement, Lloyd made a hesitant but aborted attempt to move forward, and that was all it took for the three waiting for them to break into a run and race to their side.

"Lloyd!"

"Alysii!"

The two youths were knocked flat, stunned at being so readily accepted back when deep down both had feared rejection. Any further fear was literally squashed out of them though when Genis, Collette, and Zelos launched themselves into the pile as well. Surrounded by six smiling faces, three true crèche mates and three adopted, Lloyd and Sheena finally began to laugh and hug back before slowly the mass of eight people got to their feet again and began to make their way up the nearby stairway. Behind them Regal, Presea, and Raine followed while looking around at the massed alurannai with awe. Never before had they seen so many in one place, never before had they set foot in a place that these people of such a powerful race called home.

Through the settlement they walked, the alurannai taking wing as they approached to clear the path to the Nartana's apartments. When they finally got there Lloyd and Sheena entered, the rest following behind, and turned into the door on the right that led into a room tightly tied into their childhood memories.

Four people got up as they entered, the two youths' eyes going wide before overflowing with yet more tears as they launched themselves into the arms of their parents. Kratos and Anna, Vayla and Rennan, all four of them were crying as they clung to their children as though never to let go.

Brinder edged everyone else bar Noishe and Mezo out of the room and back outside, indicating they should follow him.

"Let's leave them alone for a while. One of the communal common rooms has been prepared for your arrival and food provided; Inartu Kratos and the others will surely meet you there once they're ready."

It didn't take long to reach it, and Brinder left them there after stating that he had duties to see to and could not stay. Once inside the room the nine of them, three alurannai, four humans, and two half-elves, settled themselves down into the array of huge cushions set in a ring in the spacious room's center.

As soon as everyone was seated, Yrand, as the oldest in his crèche group, spoke.

"So you're all of Lloyd and Alysii's friends. We're glad to finally meet you, and glad they had such good people to be with them while they've been out traveling the world."

As Zelos idly glanced around the room from his seat, Raine regarded the young trio with open curiosity.

"I must say that the alurannai's Crèche Group system has fascinated me since I learnt of it. All of you consider each other as like siblings?"

Tailan nodded, violet eyes glinting with happiness.

"Yes, we do. We're taught all our lessons together as a group, and spend most of our day with each other as a group. Because of that we're never alone, and always have someone to talk to or have fun with who is about the same age. We've really missed Lloyd and Alysii; when they first when missing we didn't understand what had happened, and spent a long time wondering why they never came to be with us anymore."

The happiness had faded from her eyes, Yrand reaching out with a hand to comfort her.

"We were eight before what had happened was explained to us, and we learnt that Lloyd had been found and was living near Iselia at Lord Krishka's orders. It hurt when we learned then that Alysii was still missing, and we worried about her all the time until you finally found her. That day the trees round here echoed with everyone's cheering, and the sadness that had shadowed Nae Shiu lifted and everyone began smiling again."

Zelos got up and walked to a table on one side, picking up a couple of whicker baskets at one end causing Raine to glare at him.

"Zelos! Don't you think you should ask first before helping yourself?!"

He stared at her.

"What? I was just seeing if these things had spiced fruit loaves in them. I was going to pass them round."

Tailan began to giggle.

"He went straight for the spice breads..."

Jeraideu laughed as well.

"Yeah. If I didn't know he was human I'd have said he was alurannai... Alurannai _always_ pick those first no matter _what's_ on the table, and if there aren't any they go get some."

Zelos paused for a moment, blinking.

"I did it again..."

Yrand looked puzzled.

"Did what?"

Genis answered.

"It's a running joke among us now that Zelos thinks more like an alurannai than a human. Lloyd's insimyrtasi, Hiria, was placed in Zelos' home as a jiisumura and raised him for the first six years of his life. It seems a lot of things rubbed off on him and stayed there even after she was gone."

Zelos looked sad for a moment, before shaking his head and returning to his seat, pulling one of the miniature loaves from one basket and passing the two containers to those on either side of him.

He sighed.

"I miss her a lot, but I know she wouldn't want me to dwell on it. She'd want me to live for today and for the future, and that's just what I'm going to do."

He took a bite from his bun, as all three alurannai present nodded, Tailan tilting her head.

"Yep, he thinks like one of us... I wonder what the people back at his home would think of that?"

He snorted.

"They'd think I was weird... but then again with the act I put on to keep people at a distance they think that anyway."

He then proceeded to systematically devour the rest of his bun, not bothered by the stares he was getting, much to Yrand and the other alurannai's amusement.

Genis laughed a little, before looking around at those present.

"Soooo... what now?"

The door opened, seven people and five protozoans coming into the room, Yuan actually smiling before pointing to the new Aeros, Arshis, and Fenrilra who'd come in with him, the Aurions, and the Targathyrs, and the familiar associated canine and bird.

"Prili, Yorun, and Janai; they're Tailan, Yrand, and Jeraideu's Bonded Protozoans." As if to prove the point all five Protozoans settled themselves by their partners, Tailan absently producing a perch for Prili from her ver. He chuckled. "Brinder stopped by the base a few minutes ago and told me you were here, so I left Botta to deal with the paperwork and asked for a ride." He spotted one of the baskets. "Are those spice breads?"

Jeraideu held out the basket in question.

"Yup, want one?"

Yuan promptly plucking one of said loaves from the basket and finding a cushion to sit on answered that question. Then, as soon as the reunited families were also sat down, the baskets began to make another round of the circle as conversation began anew among those present.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"These guest houses will be yours to use for as long as you need them. Breakfast will be brought by each morning, and communal meals set up in the common room we were just in for the rest of each day unless you decide to come have dinner at either of the Aurion or Targathyr residences, though both are a bit small to get everyone in so that probably wouldn't be such a good idea." Anna led the visiting humans and half-elves along one of Nae Shiu's many walkways, stopping and indicating a number of small, two room residences scattered along it resting among the branches of the trees. Yuan had already walked off to another guest walkway visible parallel to this one, disappearing into what Anna had explained was considered 'his' house; him visiting often enough that that particular home was reserved for him. She pointed out six that were currently vacant. "Bedding and such have already been put in them, along with a bath filled with warm water for each of you so you can get cleaned up. I've assigned three of my messengers to act as guides should you want to take a look around the settlement tomorrow, though any of the people here will point you in the right direction if you're looking for something. I'd show you around myself, but I've a lot to deal with right now. I'll stop by when I can."

Regal nodded in thanks.

"Thank you for sparing the time you already have. It's been an honor meeting you, Lady Anna."

She smiled and nodded in return as the group of six split up and each headed into a house, discretely following one and placing a hand on her shoulder as soon as all of the others were out of sight. Indicating silence with a finger to her lips, Anna led Presea off down the walkway until they were far enough from the others that their voices wouldn't be heard.

"I hate to drag you away like this, but this is to do with the Angelus Project. You need to be checked over, as Vayla recommended. The healers will sleep spell you so you can rest while they do it, and I'll be there as well since as I was used for the same experiment they can compare you to me to identify anything that might be a problem. I'll bring you back here before morning, but since I can count on all of them sleeping like logs tonight, now would be the best time to do this so none of them raise a fuss. Are you ok with that?"

Presea hesitated for a moment, before nodding and following Anna towards the Healer Halls.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Looking around furtively, Lloyd pressed an ear to the wooden door and tapped tentatively getting no response either vocal or telepathic. Assured he wasn't about to get yelled at for intruding, he opened the door of Nae Shiu's Crèche Group Room and waved for Zelos to follow him inside.

"This is where I spent most of the first four years of my life, before my crèche group and our families were moved to Andorei Wrau."

He walked across the room, passing over the large ring painted on the floor before stopping beside one of the wide windows and opening the shutters to let dappled morning sunlight pour in. That light lit up the sky blue of the walls, and also the jumbled piles of brightly colored toys lying in boxes on one side of the room.

Zelos saw them and smiled.

"Shared toys, too?"

Lloyd laughed.

"Yeah... Though we each had a couple of personal toys for when we were at home. My main one was a yellow and blue teddy bear. It was originally made for my insiatasi, Breuntas, nine thousand nine hundred and forty-six years ago."

That got raised eyebrows.

"Wow, now that is one _old_ bear. Any others?"

The young Nartu shrugged.

"Well if a box of chalk sticks counts as a toy then yes, I had a small box of colored blocks as well." He let out a snort of laughter. "Man, when I think of the number of times I threw one of those things at Noishe by accident. He must have thought I was using him deliberately as target practice."

Both of them chuckled, standing and leaning on the windowsill looking out.

Watching the alurannai moving about, Zelos frowned thoughtfully.

"It's almost creepy how at home I feel here... Back in Meltokio I spend almost ever waking moment on my guard, keeping people at a distance and hiding the real me so I wouldn't end up getting my mind spell conditioned to be like a puppet because I was too dangerous to Cruxis to be left to my own devices. I've seen the records about members of the Mana Lineage that that happened to, though I'm not supposed to have done. They were driven insane by it but were programmed to deeply they couldn't even pull up the will to end it by killing themselves. They just kept living... in a nightmare." He sighed. "My own life has been pretty crap, mainly of my own doing in a lot of things due to my 'act', but it was better to act an air headed, selfish womanizer than give the Pope an excuse to report my deviance to Cruxis... Here though, here I can be myself. Even once this is over and Cruxis is gone, I can't be myself in Meltokio... I just wouldn't fit. I'm too different, and always will be, I think."

Lloyd sighed as well.

"I felt kinda the same when I was living in Iselia. I always saw things differently from everyone else, was always the odd one out. Genis and Collette were odd-ones-out too, which is why I guess we became such good friends. All the other kids were afraid to make friends with them because one was the Chosen and the other an 'elf'... Me, they avoided me because I think at times the way I viewed the world scared them. It got better as I got older, but it never really went away."

Silence fell for a moment, before hesitantly Zelos spoke.

"Hey, Lloyd... I know you said this all those months ago, and I never said anything since, but... did you really mean what you said in altar chamber after we beat Efreet? That stuff about how you thought it would be ok for me to take my Cruxis Crystal from the cathedral in Meltokio and use it."

Lloyd turned his head and looked at him in surprise.

"Of course I did... Do you realize that for Sheena to be able to admit at our age that later on she'd probably love you means that's it's almost a given. She effectively said that she cares about you more than she cares about me or the rest of our crèche mates. While she can't _love_ you yet, and isn't interested in guys that way yet, you're definitely getting the closest possible thing to it. If you're still around when she _does_ start becoming interested in guys that way, any other man is gonna have to work unbelievably hard to come even close to outmatching you."

Zelos looked extremely hopeful for a moment, before hesitation and doubt slipped back in.

"Hey, you're too young to be interested in the opposite gender too. How can you be so sure?"

Lloyd's answer was bland.

"How about the crushing sense of terror at losing you that went through her when you told her you'd deliberately come up with the idea of throwing yourself into the firing line. She was terrified you might do something like that again, and genuinely regretted that as a human you'll die of old age long before she could ever be able to return your feelings. Your Cruxis Crystal is a way to solve that... _if_ you're willing to accept the consequences of equipping it should you actually go ahead and take it from the cathedral. Instead of her watching _you_ grow old and die, it would be reversed since she'll keep aging and you won't age at all."

Again Zelos was silent for a moment before speaking, his gaze moving up to the leaves, which were the rich dark green of midsummer.

"Do you have any idea how long I've loved her? I remember the day I met her, when she was brought to Meltokio to help with some experiment at the Elemental Research Laboratory. She was only six years old, but something about her just drew me in even then when I was only seven. She didn't hate my guts back then, and was quite happy to talk to me. She was like a ray of sunshine in my dark life, and she reminded me so much of Hiria in the way she regarded the people around her. I guess that was her alurannai side I saw back then, because two years later, after the incident with Volt, she was a lot more defensive and nervous. I'd started using flirting to keep people at a distance by then, and I guess she was disappointed to see such an apparent bad change in me. Every time she came to the city after that, and every time she came to Sybak while I was studying there at the Academy, I always made a point of speaking to her even if it did earn me a lot of slaps and kicks to the shins. All I could think was that I wanted to see her come out of the shell she'd drawn around herself, a shell she was as frightened to let go of as I was of mine."

Lloyd looked up at the leaves as well.

"When did you realize you loved her?"

Zelos closed his eyes, opening them again with an expression of regret.

"The day I took my flirting routine too far and led a married woman into kissing me. It was at the Imperial Research Academy, and the woman was one of the professors dealing in Summon Spirit research. I was sixteen then, and Sheena came into the room with a message for her and saw everything... The expression of disgust on her face at what I'd just done tore my heart out, and I swore from that day on that I'd never be that stupid again. From that point onwards I'd let women admire me, flirt with me, but I never let them think I loved them. I was the proud Chosen, defiant in remaining single as decreed by Church law, but still admiring of the ladies. I think that infuriated her even more, but by then I'd dug myself into my facade so deep it was the only thing I _could_ do without shattering the whole thing and exposing to the Church the person I really was beneath it all... A person with such a deep hate for the institution that he'd be willing to tear it apart from the inside if he thought he could get away with it. If that had happened, best-case scenario would be spell binding of my mind... Worst would be my execution and the instating of my sister as Chosen in my place, and I could _never_ let that happen to her."

Lloyd stood up, reaching to pull the shutter on his side of the window closed.

"So do you think if you had the chance you'd take your Crystal and use it?"

Zelos stood up as well, grabbing his side of the shutter.

"If the chance came up." He pulled it closed, plunging the room into shadows. "...Yes."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Alright, any possible confusion about if there's a ZelosXSheena pairing in this should now be thoroughly dispelled now... Time for the final temple!**


	83. Sing to the Light

**Alaia Skyhawk: Next chapter is the one....**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 83: Sing to the Light

-

"Well this is it... With this the last of the Mana Links will be under our control."

Lloyd gazed up at the Tower of Mana, as it stood against its backdrop of mountains. The week spent in Nae Shiu had been almost idyllic, but none could deny that once the initial awe at seeing it or at finally returning home faded they all felt the rising tension as the time to head to the last Seal approached.

A hand settled on his shoulder, Kratos regarding the son who was almost as tall as he was now.

"That's right, Lloyd." He sighed. "I just wish I could have been there with you for all those pacts, but it wasn't until two months ago that Pronyma finally gave up trying to keep up with me. I was too busy at the Remote Island Ranch after that, helping the Steady Nine set the Mana Cannon up ready just in case we need it."

Lloyd smiled at him.

"But you're here now, and that's all that matters." He took a deep breath. "Well guys, let's get moving. We've got a lot of stairs to climb."

The group headed into the tower, Sheena having retrieved the key from the wall symbol her mother had pulled it from last time they were here. The inside was unchanged, the central door at the back of the room still open as they had left it, and ascending the stairs towards the lower level of the light orb room Lloyd mulled over the item he had in his ver for this pact.

'---'-'-'-''---'--'-'-'-'--'-'-'-'--'-'-'-'-'-'

"Hey, Lloyd. Could I speak to you for a moment?"

Lloyd turned from where he stood leaning on the walkway railing outside his family's apartments. As Yuan stopped beside him, he spoke.

"Sure, what it is Inanu Yuan?"

A cloth wrapped bundle was placed into his hands, the Renegade leader's expression solemn.

"These belonged to my sister... They sang for Aska when we tried to save the Giant Tree, and I think it's only right they sing for him again now for the sake of saving the world..."

'---'-'-'-''---'--'-'-'-'--'-'-'-'--'-'-'-'-'-'

Lloyd pulled the bundle from his ver as they passed through the orb chamber and up the stairway beyond, carefully unwrapping it so thay by the time they reached the upper level of the orb chamber and the teleporter panel there, the set of linkite panpipes were exposed to gleam beneath the crystal lights that lit the inside of the tower.

He stopped beside the panel, not looking back as he spoke.

"Ata, Genis, let's go."

The rest of the group staying behind, the Inartu and the young mage followed as Sheena and Lloyd stepped onto the panel and dissapeared, the hopes of the alurannai waiting near the Light Sentinel far below going with them. The wind at the tower's peak whipped through their hair, as the four climbed the crystal stairs and stopped before the woman hovering above the altar from her seat upon a moon crecent.

Violet eyes gazed down at them, long blond hair untouched by the wind.

"Welcome, Chosen of Restoration... I wouldst make a pact with thee, but mine other half Aska is not here."

Lloyd lifted the panpipes to his lips and played the simple tune Yuan had taught him when he'd given them to him. The clear notes whispered through the air, and in response a great golden bird with two graceful heads appeared and swooped down out of the sky to hover beside the maiden.

As Lloyd returned the pipes to his ver, Aska spoke.

**Long hath it been since I heard that song, played by a maiden of purest heart whose spirit now weeps for the world. Speak, ye who would free us from he who hath caused her sorrow.**

Lloyd and Sheena stepped forward.

"We are Lloyd Aurion and Alysii Targathyr. We seek a pact with Luna and Aska, and ask that you anulst thy pact with Mithos, and by our right as alurannai, establish a new join pact with us."

Luna nodded, as did Aska.

"We wilt grant thy request gladly. Draw your weapons."

No sooner than she had finished than she sent a ray of light screaming down on them, Aska letting out a shriek as he swooped down to beat at them with crystal tipped wings and deadly sharp beaks. Lloyd and Sheena moved in to deal with him, leaving Kratos and Genis to deal with the spellcaster of the pair.

The silver haired mage charged up a spell, unleashing the one he'd learnt by accident a day in Aisa so long ago.

"SHADOW LANCE!"

Luna cried out as the spears of darkness hit her, retaliating with a spell that pounded Genis into the floor with a yelp.

"PHOTON!"

Behind the two facing the maiden, the bird was quickly being worn down by the blows he was taking, Lloyd and Sheena feeding mana through their Darkness Rings so that their weapons radiated shadows. Seeing they were more than capable of finishing off the avian Spirit, Kratos sent a healing spell in Genis' direction before with a sharp flap of his blue wings he launched himself up and over Luna unleashing the oppposite of the spell she herself had just used.

"DARK SPHERE!"

Genis wincing as he got to his feet, send off a spell to match it.

"AIR THRUST!"

Both spells recast and moved to the Inartu's grasp, before he let loose the result on the recoiling Spirit.

"SHADOW BIND!"

Blades of wind whipped around her before becoming blades of shadow, circling ever tighter and trapping her in their midst with no way to escape. She sank to the floor from the onslaught, bowing her head in submission at her defeat. Aska followed shortly after, both Spirits returning to the air above the altar as Luna spoke for them both.

"State thy vow."

"We Vow for the sake of all, to do what we must to restore the mana for the sake of the World."

The light maiden nodded.

"We accept thy vow, our power is thine."

As with the previous three pacts, the Spirits did not vanish after bestowing the Pact Rings on Sheena and Lloyd, instead remaining as Shadow appeared beside them and uttered a single word.

**Link...**

The two alurannai youths rushed forward, the starburst of mana heralding the destruction of the old Mana Link and the creation of the new one. Silence fell as Lloyd and Sheena turned to face his father and Genis, waiting aprehensively. Finally, after almost an eternity, Krishka's voice echoed around them.

_There is a void in the mana around the Seed. Kratos, send the order!_

Cursing under his breath at the undesired turn of events, the Inartu unclipped a transmitter from his belt and spoke into it.

"Kaleian! Commence firing of the cannon!"

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: (Peers over edge of keyboard) This is like the race to save the Tree all over again. Ahhkk! MUST KEEP WRITING!**


	84. His Choice to Make

**Alaia Skyhawk: This is it... Eeep!**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 84: His Choice to Make

­-

Alarms began to wail throughout the facility, technicians racing about as power was suddenly diverted from the Ranch's mana reactor and also illicitly from that of the Iselia Ranch. In the cannon's control room, ten people sat at a ring of consoles watching as numbers scrolled down their screens, target coordinates were set, and the energy gauge slowly crept upwards until it reached the point that the cannon was ready to fire.

Seeing it, Kaleian pressed a single key.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Kratos' transmitter crackled into life, the ancient Crystal User's voice emerging from it.

"Commencing first shot!"

The mana currents shuddered, a silent boom that reached them atop the tower even from almost three thousand miles away. They knew what would be happening now, a loose and deliberately unfocused ball of mana surging towards the Tower of Salvation where it would be drawn apart harmlessly by the void around the Seed, filling it.

Kratos turned to face south, tense.

"Now, we wait and see..."

Barely four minutes later the transmitter crackled again.

"Commencing second shot!"

Again the mana currents shuddered, and again they waited. Minutes crawled past with agonizing slowness, as word of a third shot was sent to them... It was just after that that Luna and Aska gasped.

In an instant they flung their power out, wrapping the Tower of Mana in a web of light as a huge tremor shook the land and would have caused it to collapse.

Aska wailed.

**Stop the Seed! Stop it or it will destroy itself!**

Kratos yelled into his transmitter.

"_STOP FIRING!_"

It was then that a voice reached his mind through the Sentinels.

**Kratos, my unaturu... Come to me!**

Kratos stopped wide eyed as the land and tower continued to shake, the rest of the group appearing through the teleporter panel as they rushed to find out what was going on.

**Inata... But where?**

**Near the heart of Maxwell's old shrine... The Great Seed is linking into the old Tree's root system in an attempt to germinate, and as a result is causing the roots to go wildly out of control. Word is already reaching me from jiisumura across Sylvarant; the roots near the Temples are ravaging those areas, as are those close to some human settlements. Hurry, Kratos, there is no time to waste!**

Such was the force with which those words were sent that even those with receiver crystals heard it. Everyone raced to the tower's rim and looking over. Far below the earth was being churned as immense roots ripped up from the ground, some starting to wrap around the tower.

Kratos gritted his teeth.

"The roots of the old Giant Tree... The Tree, on the surface, wasn't really that big. The Mother Trees of Aluran are taller, but the reason it was called the Giant Tree was because its roots span the world. Every Sentinel has its own roots close to a root from the Giant Tree, allowing them to distribute mana from it. It's just as Narim Breuntas said, the Seed is trying to germinate and it's linking into the old Tree's root system to do it!" He spread his wings, grabbing the nearby Regal and leaping over the side of the Tower. "Those who can fly, grab someone who can't and let's go!"

Seconds later they were all plummeting through the air, the group of alurannai who had been waiting for them racing up to meet them. Those unable to use the Sentinels were passed out among them, crystalline wings beating with frantic speed as a mad dash to the Sentinel ensued, dodging tree trunk-sized roots along the way.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Screams of panic rang out throughout the city, the land shaking as whole sections of the city ripped out from under them by the monster roots, sending them crashing into the not turbulent waters of the sea. Two women chose to stay where they were, staying away from the crush of people who were madly trying to flee to the solid land that bordered the seaport city.

Watching as a root crushed a nearby building, Marble held her daughter close before with an expression of surprise they both saw something they never expected to see.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Bridges collapsed under the weight of desperate citizens, some of the smaller island further out into the lake beginning to crumble under the onslaught of waters which now raged like an angry sea. Buildings fell apart as the land shook, and all along the shore immense roots whipped through the air only to suddenly change direction as several figured upon glittering wings imposed themselves between root and city.

Jason, looking up at this sight, could only watch.

_Something's gone wrong with the Seed... The Alurannai, it won't hurt them, so they're blocking it as best they can._

Screams rose anew as the shaking made a nearby building begin to topple. He raced towards it.

_But that won't save Luin, only buy it time..._

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Winds of gale force propelled them onwards, carrying them far faster than any of them could normally fly as they had no choice but to race almost sixty miles to reach the place where once Maxwell's shrine and Sentinel had once stood. From that ravine now rose a monster, the rift that had once let a Tower a World away be visible and accessible now closed. Barren twisted branches writhed upwards, clawing at the sky as discordant screaming emanated from it to rend the air.

Wincing at that sound as he saw another ball of mana from the cannon break apart overhead and be absorbed by the twisted tree, Kratos brought his transmitter to his lips as The Sylph continued to carry the mass of alurannai and others towards the ravine where Exire had once been.

"Kaleian! _What the hell are you doing?! I ordered you to stop firing!_"

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The blue haired man cursed, fingers dancing over the control panel before him as the power gauge on the screen continued to creep upwards, though at half the previous speed.

"It's the Iselia Ranch! The power flow from its reactor hasn't stopped, and the cannon's energy capacitor can only hold so much before the whole thing will explode! We _need_ the cannon to stop the Seed's rampage, there's nothing I can do! Changing the target won't help much either, since, rampaging or not, the roots are _everywhere!_"

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Eyes hard as he looked down at his transmitter, Kratos switched it to a different frequency and encryption.

"_Patch! This is Kratos! What are you doing? Stop the mana flow!_"

Nothing happened for several seconds, before the device let out a mess of noise that became distinguishable as the sounds of battle, a strained voice emerging over that.

"_I would if the Desians hadn't locked me out of the system! _The moment I activated the flow and that cannon fired I completely blew my cover! The Derris Kharlan Core System detected it was my override that did it, and the alarms went crazy. I had to kill a trio of angels that teleported into the Control Room, and the Desians in there sent out a Ranch wide alert of my betrayal while I was doing that!" There was a pause as the sound of spell striking flesh was followed by a scream. "I'm having to fight my way through the complex to get to the reactor to do it manually, with just three agents to help. There are a lot of Desians in here now gunning for me, so it's going to take a while! Now let me get on with it, Patch out!"

The connection was cut, Kratos cursing.

"Damn!"

Tense silence followed, as the edge of the ravine finally came into view. A mass of alurannai hovered in the air around a grey haired man stood at the crevice's edge, their presence keeping that which rose from it at bay.

As the group and their escort landed, Narim Breuntas turned to face them.

"Why hasn't the cannon stopped firing? The Seed is over absorbing Sylvarant's mana, if this continues it will burn itself out!"

Kratos came to a stop before him.

"Complications... Yuan's nephew has been revealed by his actions as a Renegade spy, and has been locked out of the Iselia Ranch's computer system. He's heading to perform a manual shutdown of the facility's reactor now, but until he reaches it the cannon has to keep firing or self destruct from an overload." His winged twitched in agitation. "What are your instructions, Inata? What do you want me to do?"

Breuntas looked up at the writing tree, coming to a decision.

"The Seed needs to be neutralised as we originally planned for in this instance... Sheena, head to the Mana Cannon immediately! Once the Iselia Ranch's reactor is shut down I want you to summon Volt, Gnome, Shadow, and Celsius, and have them feed mana of their elements into the cannon. When that is done, fire it at this place. The rest of you, head to the Iselia Ranch and help Yuan's nephew."

Sheena turned to leave, but stopped when Kratos didn't move; he'd seen something in his grandfather's eyes.

"What are you planning to do, Inata? You want me away from here before you do it, that much is certain."

The elderly man regarded his grandson solemnly.

"It is our actions that have caused this, and right now people of Sylvarant are suffering and dying because of it. I will contain the Seed, in the only way I can."

Kratos inhaled sharply, reaching out and grabbing his grandfather's arm as he shouted in denial.

"_You can't!_ _No!_"

The twisted tree still writhing upwards from the ravine even now, Breuntas clamped his hand onto Kratos' wrist and made him release his grip.

"Kratos, my unaturu, my time is almost over anyway. I must do this, for you, for Lloyd, and for the worlds. _You_ must lead our people now." The group watched in confusion as Breuntas removed his grandson's reta and replaced it with his own. "Narim Kratos, now is _your_ time." He turned to Lloyd, and as he had done to Kratos he replaced the boy's reta with that which had until now been worn by his father. He looked at them both. "Go... I do not know how long the echo of my will and mind will last. Head for the Sentinel now, use it to reach Iselia. Aid Yuan's nephew in capturing that mana reactor!" They hesitated. "I said _go!_"

Breuntas flung an arm outwards, pointing in the direction of the Sentinel. His old eyes were sorrowed, but also accepting.

Hesitating for one final moment more, Kratos and Lloyd then turned and ran, the rest of the group left racing to catch up to them.

Breuntas watched them go.

_I'm sorry, but this is the only way..._

He turned, his gaze moving to focus up at the Tree. It was then... he began to sing...

The melody was unearthly, as unearthly as his voice became, a promise of life that rose up into the skies. All around him the grass turned lush as mana began to pour from him. He closed his eyes as his body began to blur, becoming indistinct as he utterly destroyed himself in this invocation of the ability that was the Nartana's burden. In that last moment, through his mind passed his final thought.

_Hirretenu, mi unatu..._

There was a discordant scream above his own song as the Tree reached out for this new source of mana, this new _Giant Tree_. The moment they reached around what had been Breuntas, branches exploded outwards to meet them.

Hearing the screech, Kratos stopped and looked back. There for them all to see a second mass of branches was rising, wrapping and restraining the Tree even as they slowly began to merge with it. Lush and green, studded with Kharlan Flowers, there grew the Kharlan Tree that had once been Breuntas Aurion.

Kratos clenched his fists as tears fell from his pain filled eyes in the knowledge that his grandfather would never become a part of Krishka, that even that trace of him was gone.

"Hirretenu... Inata..." Clenching his teeth, he turned and flew for the Sentinel once more. "Let's move! Don't let his sacrifice be for nothing! The second Tree will hold the other back, but only until the first absorbs it. Questions can come later, but for now we have _no time_ to waste!"

He kept going, gold edged reta flapping with the wind of his passage as the alurannai who had been here with his grandfather fell into line alongside; each settling beside one of those in the group who would need to be carried through the Sentinel to Iselia Forest... There was nothing left for him to do now but do what he was born to... Lead his people into the future they'd worked so hard for...

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: (Sniffles) Breuntas...**


	85. Iselia Ranch

**Alaia Skyhawk: (Is still sniffling)**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 85: Iselia Ranch

-

"We have to hurry! You heard that message from Patch, he's taking on the entire ranch with nothing but a handful of fellow agents to help him!"

The Restoration Group and the accompanying alurannai flew above the Iselia Forest, once again speeded along their way by the power of The Sylph. They'd emerged from the Sentinel near Iselia to find several roots had risen out of the ground in the area, and that they had become strangely still. They trembled as though wishing to move, but some influence held them back... The last echoes of Breuntas Aurion. Alarms echoed from the distance, from the Ranch, and in the forest below a large number of Desians were swarming through the trees. The group ignored them though, since they had more important things to deal with right now.

The Ranch came into view, abandoned prisoners cowering in corners while yet more took advantage of the confusion to escape from inside the main buildings and join those already outside.

Seeing them, Collette pointed.

"The prisoners! We can't just leave them, what if the Desians kill them while we go after the reactor?"

All eyes moved to Kratos as they descended towards the compound, with Breuntas now dead he was in command of everything to do with the Plan.

After a moment's hesitation, he spoke tersely once catching the attention of the alurannai escorting them.

"You all take care of the prisoners, Collette and Raine can go with you to reassure them. The rest of us will track down Patch and help him."

The order was followed immediately, the mass of fliers and their passengers splitting up as soon as they'd landed inside the facility. Kratos ran towards the main building, his son and the rest of his companions following.

Puffing a little at the speed they were running, Regal pulled level with the new Narim.

"Where do you think he'll be?"

Again the reply was terse.

"There's a side route down to the reactor, basically a maintenance passage. He'll have taken that as the narrow space would reduce the risk of him and the three agents being overwhelmed if a large number of Desians should cross paths with them."

The group passed the junction which led towards the Control Room, finding several dead Desians lying on the metal floor. A short way down the passage from it, there were several more.

Presea regarded them as she passed.

"He definitely came this way. How much further?"

Kratos frowned.

"If he's gone the way I expect, we'll need to descend via one of the elevators to get to the maintenance passage, the other route down to it is too long for him to have considered taking it. The elevator is three junctions from here, the passage two junctions from that on the second basement level."

They passed more bodies, leaping over them and continuing as the alarm still wailed around them. At the next junction they ran into a patrol, the trio of Desians swiftly dealt with by the group of eight. The next turn brought them to the elevator as promised, Kratos rapidly accessing the controls and sending the now crowded disk downwards. At the bottom the room was strewn with corpses, signs showing that an extensive fight had taken place here with almost twenty Desians coming in from the hallway beyond. Nothing was said as the group continued to follow Kratos, the wide hallway soon replaced as they turned into a passage barely wide enough for three people to walk side-by-side. More bodies were found, though at far less often now that they were off the more mainly travelled route. Deeper and deeper they went into the facility, until finally the sounds of battle reached their ears.

Turning a corner, they were confronted by the sight of a small group of men being flattened by four Desians.

The leader of the group spun to face them, the mana gun clipped over his left arm crackling with power.

Kratos drew Flamberge in readiness and tensed as he spoke tersely to his companions.

"He's the newest of the Five Grand Cardinals, Forcystus. Be on your guard!"

Teal hair was brushed out of the man's face, uncovering a storm grey left eye. Removing the red glass patch that covered his other eye, Forcystus then lowered his weapon.

"It's about time you got here, I was beginning to think the ground had swallowed you." He brandished the eyepiece he'd been wearing. "You can put your weapons down... I'm Patch."

In the stunned silence that followed, the smile that lit the man's face made his grey eyes glitter with a light that was all too familiar to the new Narim. In that moment the faint resemblance between Forcystus and Yuan became blatantly obvious.

"Y-You're Yuan's nephew? Yuan knew his nephew had been promoted to Cardinal and never told anyone? ...That blue haired, sneaky little spark thrower!"

Forcystus laughed.

"Yes, I'm his nephew. Cruxis knows me as Forcystus Grather, but my real name is Forcystus Azlarsha. I'm descended from Yuan's half brother, Sylvarei Azlarsha." He replaced the eyepiece, nodding to the Renegade agents who were with him before he turned to the group once more. "Well then, shall we get going and capture the mana reactor? I was under the impression that speed is of the utmost importance."

He turned and ran off down the passage, the trio of Renegade agents following him as Kratos and the others scrambled after as well. The team of fighters now three times the size as before, he took them out of the narrow path and back onto the main route where running into a large number of Desians would no longer be a problem.

As they continued to run, Kratos noticed that Forcystus kept glancing at him.

"Is something bothering you?"

The former Cardinal looked away.

"I was just wondering about your reta? I thought a gold trim was for the Narim."

His expression became apologetic as Kratos replied.

"Breuntas is dead, _I_ am Narim now."

Forcystus grimaced.

"I apologise, I didn't realise... Well this is it." He stopped beside a large set of double doors, pressing the panel beside it before cursing when nothing happened. "Damn, they've locked it. We'll have to force it open."

He stepped back and pointed the mana gun on his arm at the door, aiming just above centre. He then fired, the blast pushing him backwards several inches. The resulting hole in the door's surface revealed part of the locking mechanism, which Presea set to work on with her axe, smashing it. Again using her axe, she then began to pry the door open, Lloyd and Kratos each taking a side once the gap was large enough to get their fingers in and haul the two sides open.

Lloyd ducked back exclaiming.

"Mana guns, great... This brings back memories."

Bolts of mana blasted out of the room, coming from the automated defences within it. Again knowing exactly where to fire, Forcystus ducked in and out of cover and destroyed them one by one. As soon as it was clear he dashed inside and up to the edge of a huge glowing pit in the floor, fingers racing over the control panel set there. When he pressed the last key the glow faded, the lights in the Ranch dimming. He then smashed the console.

"I destroyed all the terminals in the Control Room before I left it, so with this one gone the reactor is now unusable. The Ranch is now on emergency power, and all of the security systems and electronic locks will now be disabled. Lights only, and only for about an hour, so we'll need to get out of here before we can't see our hands in front of our faces anymore."

Genis regarded the four Renegades.

"What will you guys do now? Return to the Triet Base?"

Forcystus glanced at his comrades before looking at the young mage.

"These three will, but if you're not against it I would come with you for now. I need to speak to High Priestess Phidra, in Iselia, and ask her if she will use her influence and arrange for the former prisoners from here to be looked after until the Alurannai can move them to safety." He turned to Kratos. "I would imagine your people will be somewhat busy right now."

Kratos nodded, before moving to retrace their path back to the exit.

"That will be fine. Let's go, we've got prisoners to escort and Desians to tidy up from the surrounding woods." He lifted his transmitter to his lips. "Kaleian, the Iselia reactor is now disabled. Fire the elemental shot at will."

The Crystal User was prompt to reply.

"Understood... Sheena is in the lower chamber of the cannon now, and has already summoned the needed Spirits. Let's just hope this works."

The connection cut off, Kratos sighing as they continued through the Ranch, crossing paths with several of the alurannai from the escort who were now sweeping the facility to detain those Desians that would surrender and deal with those that wouldn't. A single distant boom on the mana currents heralded the firing of the cannon, and outside in the compound the now freed people were being made comfortable; Collette and Raine moving among them comforting them as best they could.

As one the prisoners turned and looked, several shrinking back in fear as they recognised the half-elven man stood with the group. Forcystus' expression became guilty, before he reached with his right hand for where the mana gun over his left arm locked onto the ring just below his elbow. There was a click and the cylinder dropped free, clattering to the floor. He then walked over to one of the prisoners who was nursing a nasty slash on their leg and before they could back away he placed both his hands over it and muttered an incantation.

"Healing wind!" The man he'd just healed gasped in surprise, the former Cardinal getting to his feet. "While I can do nothing to undo what you suffered here, I truly regret that I had no choice but to stand back and watch it happen. For the sake of the world I remained silent, but hate and regret every moment that I did so."

He pulled the man to his feet, before walking away and standing alone. Seeing this, Raine came over.

"Isn't he Forcystus?! The Grand Cardinal of this Ranch?"

Regal answered her.

"It turns out that _he_ is Patch, Yuan's nephew. He's been leading this Ranch and spying for the Renegades from the best position possible... right near the top."

Anything else that might have been said was stopped as a cry of alarm rose from the prisoners, as Collette suddenly staggered and fell over. She shuddered, breath catching in her throat as the expression on her face revealed the pain she was in.

Lloyd raced over.

"Collette!"

She managed to catch her breath, speaking weakly.

"I-I'm fine... Look after everyone else first."

Kratos was by her side now as well, and without hesitation turned her so that the light from the sun fell squarely on the exposed skin around her crystal mount. There, plain to see, was a rim around the mount that glinted crystalline and green.

He frowned.

"Her body has begun rejecting her Cruxis Crystal; she needs a Rune Crest." He cursed under his breath. "This is the last thing we needed right now. We'll have to treat her first, but travel through the Sentinels will aggravate her condition and perhaps even accelerate it in the extreme. We'll have to gather the materials for the crest in the conventional way, but that means doing so on the run from Yggdrasil."

Raine and everyone else were gathered round the downed young woman now, the healer helping Collette to her feet.

"What do you mean?"

Kratos sighed.

"The speed and method with which we dealt with the Seed's rampage means that Yggdrasil would have to be blind not to realise that our little rebellious trip with his Chosen is not as spontaneous as he thought it was, and that it was in fact carefully planned. He'll have angels searching for all of us before too long, though hopefully he'll spend enough time checking and rechecking that Martel wasn't destroyed by it to allow us to deal with the aftermath." He turned to his son. "And speaking of the Seed, how is it doing, Lloyd? Did the elemental shot work?"

The new Inartu closed his eyes, reaching out with his mind for the song that had resumed singing in the back of it.

"It's sleeping again... I couldn't make any sense of it at all while it was out of control, but it's definitely back to normal now... Martel is still there too. Everything is fine."

Everyone sighed with relief, Genis indicating the open compound gate with a tilt of his head.

"Let's get going to Iselia then. If we go now we can probably get everyone there before it starts to get dark."

In unspoken agreement they set off, the alurannai from the escort gathering the prisoners and leading them along behind.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Mueeheeheeheehee! So how many of you did a double take when Forcystus said his first line? And to think no one noticed I've never described Patch's appearance apart from his grey eyes. I've been planning this ever since halfway through book one. XD**

**On a side note, no I've not forgotten Chocolat, she's in the next chapter.**


	86. Home and Blame

**Alaia Skyhawk: Ok, time for some explanations.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 86: Home and Blame

-

Walking through the forest they had previously flown over, the eerie silence within it set nerves on end and had everyone looking around apprehensively. Monstrous roots that had risen from the ground had now sunk beneath it again, leaving long meandering trenches of disturbed earth snaking through the woods, dotted here an there by toppled trees. The tracks of Desians were everywhere, and while most had turned and gone south, it was with dismay that they realised that some were heading right for Iselia.

Forcystus broke into a run.

"No! They must be going there out of spite because _I_ was the one who agreed to and signed the Non-Aggression Treaty!"

Lloyd blinked.

"What?!"

The former Cardinal looked back before he kept going.

"I think they're going to attack Iselia!"

That spurred them into action, Raine staying put with the weakened Collette while the rest of the Restoration Group sprinted after the half-elven man. They were barely half a mile from the village now, just about to emerge from the edge of the Iselia Forest, and when they did they saw what they'd been dreading, smoke rising from the village to the north. Forcystus was still running while the others had stopped in horror, and he never so much as slowed until he passed through the village's South Gate.

He skidded to a stop, several Desians and villagers turning to look; the latter recoiling in fear, the former reacting with hatred. They charged at him, their shouts bringing the rest of the attackers in the village converging on the southern entrance.

"FILTHY RENEGADE SCUM!"

"DIE, YOU TRAITOR!"

Forcystus subconsciously moved to aim his mana gun, but stopped when he remembered he'd abandoned it at the Ranch. Eyes narrowing, he watched the movements of those running at him and lunged when he saw his chance. A blade was wrenched from one Desian's grip, the man felled in the next second as his own sword was turned against him. Glancing to the side after his first strike, Forcystus ducked as the next Desian to reach him swung at his head, the stolen blade in his grasp sliding upwards to take the man from below. The dance of death continued until only three of almost thirty Desians were left... Those three tried to make a run for it.

Dropping the now dripping sword, Forcystus pointed as them as he yelled an incantation, his voice full of anger.

"_Gentle winds come before me and transform into blades of air!_ _CYCLONE!_"

The three wailed in terror as they were lifted skywards by shredding winds, shrieking for a moment before dropping silent to the ground when the spell released them. Forcystus then turned, racing over to a downed villager ignoring the fact that members of the Town Watch were moving as though to stop him, believing he was going to kill them.

They stopped in shock when the half-elf dropped to his knees and began trying to revive the fallen man, the only movement after coming from the woman who had just come into view.

She screamed and ran towards him.

"Van!" She then saw the former Cardinal sit back shaking his head, the man was already gone. "No, he can't be! Get away from him you murderer!"

She reached Forcystus and began to swing wildly at him with bare fists, forcing him to block with his arm. Into this fray charged one from the group who had been stood watching at the gate, the young man hauling her back from the half-elf.

"Stop it, Lillia! He was trying to save him!"

Lillia gasped in shock, as did those villagers present.

"Lloyd?"

Any answer that might have been made was cut off as Kratos strode forward and began directing what few of the alurannai escort had flow ahead of the prisoner convoy still crossing the village fields.

"Tend to the injured and put out the fires! Find me High Priestess Phidra and bring her here immediately!"

An elderly voice cut across the air.

"That will not be necessary." Phidra walked slowly over, her cane tapping on the packed earth. She stopped a short distance away, and looked angrily at the still kneeling half-elf. "Forcystus Grather, how do you explain this? This is a violation of the Treaty! A treaty signed by you, a man who said he was honourable! And to think you would attack us after those monstrous roots emerged from the forest near the town!"

Forcystus bowed his head.

"I regret that my actions and those of my allies have caused this, but my exposure as a spy within the Desian ranks meant that there were some in the Ranch who decided that the treaty I had signed was now void. I am sorry that I was not able to prevent this, but by the time we realised they were heading this way, it was too late."

Phidra looked confused.

"What do you mean by 'spy'? What in the name of the Goddess is going on?"

The former Cardinal got to his feet.

"My true name is Forcystus Azlarsha, and I am a member of an organisation that opposes the Desians, called the Renegades. I was their most highly ranked spy within the Desians, and when I used the Ranch's mana reactor to send power to the mana cannon the Renegades had managed to capture, my true allegiance was revealed... Again, I apologise for this, but it was the only way to stop the Great Seed; that being the cause of the rampage of the giant roots that have caused mass devastation across Sylvarant."

The priestess gasped.

"What? There has been damage?"

Kratos came over.

"Before we headed to the Ranch the jiisumura reported that Palmacosta and Luin were being ravaged by the roots, as were Sylvarant's four Temples of the Forces. Thankfully it seems that the rest of the settlements, like Iselia, were far enough from any roots from the old Giant Tree so that they suffered little or no damage. The roots have now returned to the earth, and the Seed sleeping once more."

She frowned.

"And who might you be..." Her eyes widened as she took note of his reta. "Are _you_ Narim Breuntas?"

Both he and Lloyd flinched.

"No... Breuntas is dead, having sacrificed himself to restrain the Seed and prevent more damage that it had already caused... _I_ lead the Alurannai now; I am Narim Kratos."

There was a shout from overhead, a dozen alurannai flying down with a yellow-marked fenrilra and a woman in an azure reta at their heart, and the trim on that reta was gold.

She landed beside him, green-gold wings folding back. Her eyes were full of tears.

"Kratos... Luin is..."

He pulled her close.

"I know, Anna, I know..." He looked at Phidra. "Perhaps we could take this conversation somewhere more private." He then finally looked at the fenrilra who like Anna was crying, though for a different reason. "Tsahi, let's go."

Still unsure, Phidra hesitated.

"But..."

"Grandmother, please do as he asks. He's only doing what he has to, to save the world." Exclamations rose from the people of the village, as Collette limped forward supported by Raine. Her eyes were pleading. "He'll explain everything, just give him a chance."

She sagged a little, Raine carefully pulling her upright again.

"Collette..."

The blond Chosen shook her head.

"I'm fine, I just need to rest for a while. Take me home, Professor; Kratos and Grandmother can talk there."

Raine did as asked, taking Collette right past a stunned Phidra who after a moment followed behind. Kratos, Anna, and the rest of the Restoration group followed as well, the alurannai escort following his orders as the convoy of prisoners began to arrive at the South Gate. The silence was tense, Collette's refusing to stop preventing questions being asked. She just stubbornly kept going, even when every stumble sent a wince of pain crossing her face. They arrived at the house, two figures standing on the porch reaching in shock at seeing her.

Aradine rushed forward, as did Frank.

"Collette! What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be heading back to the Holy Grounds after that visit to Palmacosta!"

Collette smiled weakly.

"I'm sorry, mother, but I had to lie to everyone." Her parents froze in confusion. "The Goddess isn't real, so we've been working to save the world a different wa..."

Her eyes slid shut and she went limp, Raine struggling under the young woman's weight until Lloyd stepped in to carry her.

He walked into the house.

"I'll put her in her room, we can talk downstairs once I've done that."

Aradine followed after him, Frank frowning with concern as the Narim, Unarim, their son, Raine, and Genis entered the house... The rest of the group stayed outside, the house being too small for there to be room for all of them. As soon as the door was closed again he turned to Kratos.

"What's wrong with my daughter? And what did she mean when she said the Goddess wasn't real?"

Kratos sighed, settling Anna down on the bench by the table before with a hand gesture he wrapped the house in a sound ward.

"Martel was one of the Nine Companions, and she was killed shortly after the Giant Kharlan Tree withered. She was a Crystal User, the same as what Cruxis call 'Angels', and her soul was kept in this world by the power of her Cruxis Crystal. Cruxis' leader seeks to resurrect her... no matter what the cost to the people of the separated worlds of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, who they lie to and betray even as they pretend to watch over and guide them."

Phidra looked shocked.

"What do you mean?"

Raine, who had just come down the stairs with Lloyd and Aradine, answered.

"The Desians... They aren't really the enemies of Cruxis, they're in fact a subordinate part of the Order whose purpose is to create an excuse for Chosens to head to the Tower. Chosens are people born selectively of certain bloodlines, in an attempt to produce someone with the same mana signature as Martel. They would then be reduced to a mere puppet, and their body used to attempt to revive her... It's all lies, Phidra... all of it. The Church of Martel is being used, deceived, tricked into sending children to their deaths believing it will save the world while the very beings that are supposed to be watching over them are in fact just shunting the Desians from one world to another to make it look like the Ritual actually does what it's meant to."

Frank turned.

"Two worlds?"

Anna spoke from where she sat.

"There are two worlds that were once one; Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. They were the two sides that fought the Kharlan War, and after it ended and the Tree died they were separated into two worlds so that they could survive until the time of the Prophesy came. The leader of Cruxis is a Crystal User who was entrusted as Steward of the system of mana flows by the Alurannai who created it, but he betrayed them because he couldn't accept Martel's death and in turn became obsessed with reviving her."

Aradine frowned.

"But what's that got to do with your working to save the world a different way? What could possibly be done if that man is in control of the mana like you say?"

Lloyd, knowing what was coming next, spoke into the air.

"Dallinius, if you'd do the geas?"

The disembodied voice of the wolf whispered through the air.

_Certainly. If Phidra, Aradine, and Frank would oblige._

After hesitating for a moment the three humans nodded, repeating the words of the geas after Lloyd as he recited them. As soon as it was done, Kratos explained.

"The Prophesy of Restoration is at hand, the Chosen of Restoration standing in this very room." Indicated his son with a tilt of his head. "Lloyd is the one the Offspring Races have waited so long for, and even now we have stolen the Hourglass System back from Yggdrasil. He no longer has control of the flow of mana between the two worlds, and the only means he could possibly have taken it back is useless against the power of the Summon Spirit of Life. But two pacts remain and even that will be taken from him, and then the worlds can be united as one again, and the Seed germinated to become a new Giant Tree."

Phidra nodded in understanding, before asking another thing on her mind.

"And what about my granddaughter? What is wrong with her?"

Kratos answered.

"She is suffering from Chronic Angelus Crystalus Innoficium; to put simply her body is rejecting her Cruxis Crystal. Without the proper treatment the affliction will eventually kill her... We'll deal with it before we make the final two pacts. After what we effectively put her through to hide what we were doing from Cruxis, we owe it to her to cure her as soon as possible. We already have two of the items needed, and the other two shouldn't prove difficult to obtain."

Lloyd headed for the door.

"Ata, I'm going to go check on the prisoners... I want to see if Chocolat is with them, since I never got the chance to look earlier."

At his father's nod Lloyd passed out through the sound ward, walking straight past those sat on the porch outside. No one said anything, since it was clear he had things on his mind, but Forcystus, Zelos and Genis did follow him deciding that being alone wasn't the best thing for him right now.

The three of them crossed the village; heading for the school that, as the largest building other than the church, was where they guessed the prisoners would be taken by the alurannai escort. The guess proved correct, and looking around Genis noticed something.

"Hey, why are there so few of them? Not that many were killed today, so why are there less than a hundred here?"

Forcystus answered him.

"I deliberately kept the number of prisoners at the Iselia Ranch to a minimum, using the Treaty and the difficulty in getting prisoners in via the Triet Desert as an excuse. I couldn't stop the deaths and suffering completely, but I at least prevented them from getting too high a number." He set off among the people scattered in the area outside the school, eventually stopping and pointing to a girl that was near unrecognisable in the grey shift of a Ranch captive. "I believe you may have come here looking for her. I kept her safe, just as I informed my uncle. Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to use my somewhat meagre healing skills to do what I can for them. It doesn't change what I allowed to happen to them, but it's something."

He walked away, leaving the three friends standing there. About to walk over to her, Lloyd then stopped with an expression of horror.

"Wait! Her family is in Palmacosta!"

Zelos cursed and yanked Lloyd and Genis out of sight before Chocolat could spot them.

"Aww crap. After what you told me happened the last time you saw her, going up to her with no idea if her mom and grandma are alive is definitely not the best thing to do."

Genis peered furtively around the corner of the house they'd ducked behind.

"What now? How are we supposed to find out?"

Lloyd went still.

"I'll go check."

The silver haired mage blinked.

"What?"

Lloyd turned to him.

"I'll go through the Sentinels. Besides I should check on Luin as well, so I can do both before coming back." He reached out with his mind. **I'm going to go check on Luin and Palmacosta, I'll be back in an hour or two.**

His father's voice reached him in immediate reply.

**Lloyd, you'll do no such thing, the jiisumura will do it!**

The next few words from Lloyd silenced any opposition.

**I'm Inartu now, I have responsibilities! Palmacosta and Luin are wrecked because of us, and at the least the Nartana owe it to them to check on them personally!**

There was silence for a moment, then a mental sigh.

**Alright... and I give you authority to call up, within reason, any of our people and resources to aid them.**

Lloyd turned to the two beside him.

"Go talk to Chocolat. Tell her what really happened to Marble back then, and tell her that I've gone to see if she and Cacao are ok."

Zelos nodded.

"Sure thing, Bro. Don't overwork yourself though, ok?"

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

He stopped in horror at the sight before him, far worse than that of the Desian raid three years previous. Whole swathes of the city were in ruins, some islands further out as much as half the size they were before the rampage of the Great Seed, though it was hard to see in the night darkness.

He bit his lip, before speaking to the disguised group of alurannai healers he'd gotten from Nae Shiu and brought with him.

"Do what you can, but avoid revealing what you are. We don't want to make targets of ourselves for Cruxis, or the people here could end up hurt worse than they already are."

As one they nodded and followed him, heading across the bridge into the city.

"Understood, Inartu Lloyd."

Lloyd flinched and stopped, the healers continuing on past him as he recalled the reta he'd stuffed into his ver... Silver edged azure... He was Crown Prince of his people at just twenty-four years old. Taking a deep breath he set off again, taking metal notes of the damage he saw and what would be needed to repair it as he moved from one district of the city to another. He'd just passed over a partially collapsed bridge into the Craftsman's District when a familiar voice called out to him.

"Lloyd!"

He turned, eyes widening in recognition as the brown haired man raced towards him.

"Inanu Jason! I didn't know you were here! Does Myrta know?"

Jason shook his head.

"No, she doesn't, and if she did she'd no doubt be throwing a fit right now." He looked around at the ruined buildings surrounding them. "I'd come to visit an old friend, someone I knew when I was a kid. I'd only been here two days when things went nuts a few hours ago. The majority of the people are all right, thought most of those that were killed were killed by the panic those monster roots and the earthquakes caused. They were either trampled in the panic or drowned when the bridges they were on collapsed." He looked at Lloyd. "And what are _you_ doing here?"

Once again Lloyd bit his lip.

"Narim Breuntas is dead, my ata is Narim now, so as the new Inartu I came to check on the damage since it was our Plan that caused all this. It may have been indirect, but we're still responsible. I'm just checking on what'll be needed to get the city back on its feet before I get it brought in discretely by my people. They'll pose as merchants or something, helping out of good will and charity." He stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Could you do me a favour and call me Lloyd Irving while I'm here? I don't want to make a scene about my being alurannai. I think it would be better if "Lloyd Irving" gets the credit for this, so "Lloyd Aurion" can just go to Aluran when all this is over without any fuss being raised for the rest of his life for his being the one who got so much help sent here."

Jason patted him on the shoulder.

"Gotcha, you just want to slip under the rug of obscurity after this; no hero worship. You're going to be a great man when you're older, and already are now... Be sure I'm going to make sure the people here remember just what a man "Lloyd Irving" is."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The morning sun glinted in through the windows, the crowded living room of the house deep in the Iselia Forest silent but for the occasional shuffle of a foot or rustle of cloth. The group were sat inside Dirk's house, those not able to find a chair or cushion instead sitting on the floor. They'd come here to get away from the noise and bustle of the village, using the excuse of taking Collette somewhere quiet to rest away from it all. Sheena had arrived with her mother in tow not long after Lloyd had gone to check on Luin and Palmacosta, just in time to witness Iselia's mayor getting a harangue from Chocolat for his prejudice. He'd stormed off after the nearby villagers had sided with her, leaving a rather amused Genis to watch him go. Now they waited for Lloyd to return, so that Kratos would finally tell them what was on all their minds.

Finally the door opened, Lloyd walking in with a haunted expression.

"Cacao and Marble were ok, but their shop was wrecked. Almost half of Palmacosta has slid into the sea, and Luin is wrecked as well. I've had supplies sent in, and healers to tend to the injured."

Leaving him be for now, Raine turned to the Narim.

"So Kratos, are you going to explain now just what the heck happened to Breuntas?"

Not moving from his place beside one of the small windows, Kratos turned and gazed at them with solemn eyes, a brief glance at his son noting that Lloyd had gone to sit beside the Arshis and Fenrilra curled up in the corner.

"I must first ask that you swear never to speak of this to anyone... It is a secret that until now has never been known by anyone outside of the Offspring Races bar Anna and Yuan. I will not insist on a geas, for I trust you all enough to keep it secret on your own."

He glanced around those in the room, the younger of the two Azlarsha's present raising an eyebrow.

Forcystus folded his arms.

"I think it's pretty obvious no one is going to say anything. What you say here, stays here..."

The new Narim sighed and began to explain.

"What you saw back there was the full invocation of the Nartana's secret ability... our burden... In our Race's beginning the Alurannai were born from the flowers of trees called into life by the Kharlan Tree, but that was not the case for the first member of the Nartana... That man, our first Narim, emerged from one of the Kharlan Tree's own flowers... with everything that that fact entails..."

Raine took a step forward.

"Wait... are you saying that the Nartana aren't just sentient trees like the rest of the Alurannai. Are you saying the Nartana are _Kharlan Trees?_"

He nodded, looking away from them.

"It is why the Nartana are referred to as the Giant Tree's 'Safeguard', and strictly speaking we are a different but compatible sub-species of Alurannai. We call ourselves Alurankhar, Alurannai Kharlan, for that is what we effectively are. Should the Tree wither and not leave a seed, the Narim at such a time is fated to replace it... The tree that restrained and was absorbed by the Great Seed is the one that existed within Breuntas, just as a Kharlan Tree also exists within myself and within Lloyd. It is a heavy burden, and one hidden so that the people of the world would not take the mana for granted. If they knew that there was an easy way to replace a lost Tree then they might abuse the mana leading to the death of the current one, knowing that the Narim of the Alurannai would take its place, and another should that tree die, and another... We hide it to prevent that, for 'becoming a Giant Tree' is not what one might think of it..." He clenched his fists as once again tears began to flow down his face. "Breuntas no longer exists... Not his body, not his mind, not his soul... Awakening the Tree within means the complete and utter destruction of the one who does it!"

The group remained silent as they bore witness to the pain in Kratos' eyes, one of them remembering something from long ago.

Yuan walked over to his lifelong friend.

"That's what almost happened to Kratos that day, at the Mana Cannon, right at the end of the war; and also what almost happened to Lloyd after the Dragon's Nest. The Kharlan Trees within them trying to break free and destroying a part of their minds and souls in the process. That's why they both suffered from lost feelings and had memory problems until they healed."

Kratos shuddered.

"You have no idea what agony it is, when something deep within you begins to tear your very soul apart in its quest for escape... If Vayla hadn't come to help me then I would have died that day, and a Kharlan Tree would have stood atop that mountain. I was moments away from being destroyed when she saved me."

Vayla shuffled her feet where she stood near the door.

"I nearly didn't make it in time. If I hadn't heard Kratos call out for help I would have succumbed to the rage that gripped all alurannai that day. The only time in all of this world's history where my people have carried out a mass slaughter, driven to blood lust by the cannon's damage to the Giant Tree... But everything we did ended up being futile... The Tree died, leaving a seed, but one that by the Tree's dying words could not be germinated until certain conditions were met. Everything that has happened since then is the result of us having no choice but to wait until the one we needed was born, for as long as there was a seed we were bound to see it germinate even though it would have been quicker for a member of the Nartana to replace it. That is the First Precept of the Alurankhar, the promise the Kharlan Tree made them swear to; 'So long as a Tree or Seed remains, the Burden shall _never_ be invoked'. The Tree didn't want any of them to die that way, not unless it was absolutely necessary. So long as another way is available, they are bound by the Second Precept of the Alurannai to keep on living."

His eyes filled with guilt, the new Narim sighed.

"Perhaps it _would_ have been better if I had died that day... Then a new Tree would have already been alive when the old one died of its injuries, and Mithos would never have gained Origin's power."

Vayla charged over and slapped him.

"Don't you _dare_ think that, Kratos! If you had died that day then there would have been a new Tree, true, but that Tree would be far from the Alurannai's protection and the war would still be raging. Under those conditions that Tree, being so young, would have died in a matter of weeks or months and the situation we have now would be unchanged. Unchanged but for the fact that we would have no Chosen, no remaining Nartana, and no hope at all!"

Kratos flinched, Anna rising to her feet and going to his side.

"It's not your fault, Kratos, you did everything you could. You've tried so hard to make up for and forgiven yourself for your mistakes back then; so forgive yourself for the mistakes you've made in this time, because you've tried just as hard to make up for them. You're Narim of the Alurannai now, and they need you to be strong, the _worlds_ need you to be Strong." She turned to the group. "Kratos will need to come back to Nae Shiu with me for a while. We've got a lot of things to prepare before we attempt to take the Eternal Sword from Yggdrasil, and he needs to be brought up to speed with all the things Breuntas had been taking care off up until now. You all go and sort out the Rune Crest for Collette, Vayla can go with you since she knows how to make one already and where to get the last two materials." She headed for the door, Kratos and Tsahi going with her.

Pausing at the door, the Narim looked one last time at his son.

"Be careful, Lloyd."

And then he was gone, the door thudding closed. Regal broke the silence, turning to Sheena's mother.

"So where do we go now, Vayla?"

She looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"We take the Rhieards through the dimensional rift to Tethe'alla... and then we need _you_ to help us get a little something from your company's stores in Altamira..."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Wow, I've just realized how scarily close to the end of this I am if I count the usual game events, minus the 'Kratos is your father' and Flanoir scenes. At least I have some extras to throw in, hehehehe.**


	87. For the Sake of a Friend

**Alaia Skyhawk: AHGGGGGGGGGGGGG! (Pulls hair out) BLOODY WRITER'S BLOCK!! (Takes deep breath) Well it seems I finally got this done after however many months of stopping and starting, and writing this at a pace of about 1 paragraph per attempt. Fingers crossed I can get this fic finished without any more hiccoughs.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 87: For the Sake of a Friend

-

"Times like this I remember how fixed he can become on something... So much for checking on Martel distracting him..."

Trudging over the sand dunes towards the expanse of rocky outcrops that concealed the Triet Base, Vayla shook her head in resignation as she looked up at the layer of faintly rippling air that hovered over the group. They'd left Iselia three days ago, but had spent almost all of that time on foot in the desert after they were ambushed there during the day they'd flown towards the base on the Rhieards. Each time they were attacked it had resulted in a mad scramble for Vayla to get a shield around them all so that the spell casters in the group could scorch the winged attackers out of the sky. After the third time she'd made the group land, casting an illusion overhead to hide them from anything above.

Regarding his father's crèche mate, Lloyd sighed.

"Lord Krishka blanking out our mana signatures does nothing if we can be spotted by sight... I just wish you could keep the illusion up while flying."

His attention turned to Collette, who gazed back apologetically despite the fact that none of them saw her as being to blame for the situation.

Seeing that expression as she too looked over, Vayla sighed as well.

"Unfortunately the higher we are above the ground, the more complex and larger an illusion has to be to hide us from all angles. Without Focus Crystals, like those we use around our settlements, maintaining such an illusion would be impossible for me even if Lloyd and Sheena were to help. I'd need four of them to hide us, and one of those things is too heavy to carry on even a Cargo Rhieard. We're stuck on foot except over the sea once we're in Tethe'alla. We can fly close to the surface, and a water illusion to cover our shadows and us will be easy in those circumstances. We can land-hop to Altamira, but once we head for Heimdall we'll be looking at a few weeks on foot."

No one sighed, despite the temptation to; things were as they were, and they would deal with it. Continuing to walk in silence, they arrived at the base a few hours later as the sun began to set, and it was a rather anxious lightning mage who greeted them.

Ushering them in through the main door, Yuan fell into step beside the wind mage who was with them.

"It's good to see you back, Forcystus. You've no idea how much you've worn on my nerves these past few years, and it's a relief to see you safe." He glanced at the rest of the group. "It's good to see all of you safe as well. The technicians in the hangar are already preparing the mana charge for the dimensional transfer to Tethe'alla, so you can go as soon as you're ready."

Vayla frowned.

"No questions about the trip here? Despite the fact we're late and arriving on foot?"

Yuan gave her a tiny smile before sighing.

"Now that he's Inartu of the Alurannai, Lloyd has been relaying a constant stream of information to me via Lyranve. I already know about the ambushes you faced on the way here."

As Vayla glared at him, Lloyd winced and explained.

"I already asked Ata, and he said it made sense to keep Inanu Yuan updated now that Cruxis is aware of the threat we pose. There's no sense in hiding now that the Alurannai and the Renegades are allied to each other, not since we worked together to stop the Great Seed. Yggdrasil knows the alliance exists now, so keeping the Renegades completely up to speed is necessary to prevent Cruxis from sneaking something on one of us."

The ebon haired woman frowned before shaking her head.

"I agree, but still it would have been nice to know."

Yuan's nephew chose that moment to point something out.

"Vayla, Lloyd and his old man probably didn't want to distract you while you were maintaining that illusion. Here inside the base you can think without worrying about that, but out there a small slip up could have led to you being spotted by a patrol of angels."

Tense silence fell, the gravity of their situation weighing on all of them as Vayla led the whole group down to the hangar. Once they were there Lloyd brought the Rhieards out of his ver, allowing the technicians to charge them for the transfer. When the charge was complete a few minutes later, Vayla turned to her long time friend.

"We'll spend a day at the Flanoir Base, so Brinia can check Collette over for herself."

The lightning mage nodded.

"Agreed. I will be remaining here in Triet for now, to aid in increasing the camouflage of this facility. Flanoir Base is buried under the snow and ice of the region, but this base has no such aid to its concealment. Kratos has already had several new Focus Crystals sent to us here, and the Alurannai will be installing them into the current network around the base shortly."

Vayla sighed, a brief flash of stress showing in her expression.

"I only hope our own task will go as smoothly as I know the installation will. Keep your head down, Yuan, and don't do anything stupid in the meantime. There are only seven 'Companions' left, and I don't want to reach the end of all this and find that instead there's only six."

Yuan bowed his head solemnly, as the group began to board their now charged Rhieards.

"Ceika ni murato nu quarre, Vayla."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The chill winds stirred the grasses of the ancient plains, sweeping in from the sea they'd spent an anxious day flying rather dangerously close to. The winds weren't felt by those laid huddled in the darkness though, held back by the simple heat wards placed by a certain young Inartu.

Lloyd turned his head, listening to the sounds of the night here on the shore of the Kharlan Grounds. The day at the Flanoir Base had been the inevitable span of fussing and preparation, Brinia requiring some rather forceful reasoning as to why she couldn't accompany the group when they departed from the facility. It had been a huge relief to get out over the sea on the Rhieards, as nervous as the exposed position made them even beneath the illusion held above them.

Reminded of his current guardian, but also ranked subordinate, Lloyd glanced at the sleeping form of Vayla. The alurannai woman had collapsed into her bedroll to sleep the moment they'd set up camp, minus the tell-tale presence of a campfire, leaving him to deal with packing the Rhieards away for the night and setting the wards to keep the sleepers safe. He was now one of only three people in the group who wasn't sleeping; himself, Sheena who was helping to keep watch... and Collette.

He sighed, murmuring at a volume he knew she would hear but which wouldn't disturb the others.

"You should sleep, Collette, you're not going to help yourself get any better if you use your Crystal to stay awake. The less stress you place on it, the slower it will erode, so sleep."

She rolled over, the flutter of her eyelashes visible to him in the faint moonlight filtering through the scattered clouds overhead.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I'm causing... If only we could have used the Sentinels, then Vayla wouldn't have to tire herself keeping us hidden."

Lloyd tapped his fingers on his knees before replying.

"You heard Vayla though, we can't risk it after the way Martel spent a day collapsed not long after using them in the same condition. We have the time to do this the slow way, the way safest for you, so we're going to do it. You're our friend, and like a sister to me, so we want to make sure we don't do anything that might seriously hurt you." He snorted and added. "So quit apologising you dork."

She sighed, turning over again.

"You're right... I'm s... Thank you, for everything."

Moments later both he and Sheena heard the young woman's breathing become that of the deeply asleep, the two of them resuming their watch of the night sky overhead; watching for the tell-tale glitter of distant angel wings.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Much like their last visit to the seaside paradise of the City of Altamira, this one had beneath it a mission just as grave. Where more than a year before they had come here seeking news of a sister, now they came seeking the means to help save a friend. They'd slipped into the city late the previous night, heading for the Lezareno Company's biggest hotel in the city where they knew Regal's presence would garner them the best and most private of the available rooms. The hotel also boasted the best security of those in the city, and was well patrolled enough that no potential angel spy would risk coming near it.

Here in the light of the new day found Vayla, Regal, and a rather relieved Genis heading for the Lezareno Company HQ. The young half-elven man, when faced with spending an hour in a hotel apartment with a constantly fidgeting Collette, had asked to come along knowing that if he'd stayed he'd have gone stir crazy. Vayla had agreed, and now the three of them found themselves once more before the imposing entrance of the headquarters owned by their still handcuffed friend.

A few eyebrows were raised as they entered, by those who did not recognise the duke, but the company employees were swift to usher the trio to the nearest elevator. The arrival in the president's office was rather anti-climactic... Regal had sent word ahead to George that he was coming, and what he was coming for.

The elderly man looked up from the desk as Regal, Vayla, and Genis entered, getting to his feet smiling.

"It is good to see you well, Master Regal." He reached into one of the desk's drawers, pulling out a small box and pushing it across its surface. "I retrieved the Zircon from the storage in Lezareno Building One. There wasn't much there, so I do hope it's enough for what you need. There won't be another shipment coming in until the consignment purchased by the Imperial Research Academy, three weeks from now."

Vayla hurried over, picking up the box and opening it. Picking up the pair of metal nuggets within, she hefted them to figure out their weight.

"There's about eight ounces of zircon here, we only need six. Yes, it's enough."

She was smiling now, and with good reason. The zircon mines near where the town of Heirma had been almost five thousand years ago had long since been mined out of the rare metal. Getting some so easily here in Tethe'alla, and just a couple of weeks travel away from Heimdall, was a boon indeed.

Seeing her smile, Genis also grinned.

"So our next stop is Heimdall! I can't wait, this will be my first time in my hometown since I was born!"

The mage's grin was infectious, also drawing a smile from Regal even as he drew a small data chip from a pocket. He handed it to George.

"George, if you would discretely divert one of the manufactories, I want you to see to it that fifty of these are built as soon as you can manage. Pay for materials and labour from my personal funds, and not from company accounts." He glanced at ebon haired woman and the silver haired mage. "A blue haired friend of ours asked me if I'd be interested in helping with promoting interaction once this is over, and I said yes."

Accepting the data chip, George nodded and pocketed it.

"I'll see to it, Sir."

Regal nodded, his solemn demeanour returning.

"I know you will. Now, as we are in something of a hurry, we must go. If we leave the city immediately we should be able to fly on the Rhieards to the coast of the Rymett'riron Continent by sunset. Only fools would waste a day when time is important, and we in our group are no fools."

Leaving a rather puzzled elderly man standing in the office, the trio hurried from the room with the box of zircon and vanished into the elevator.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"Hey, Regal. What was on that data chip you gave to George? What did Yuan ask you to help with?"

The cluster of ten Rhieards once again skimming close to the ocean waves beneath the rippled veil of illusion above, Genis glanced at the convict as the City of Altamira receded behind them.

Glancing at the now curious mass of friends around him, Regal cleared his throat.

"The Renegades will be acting as a front for the Alurannai for the rebuilding efforts once the worlds are reunited. Yuan wishes to create a network of passenger transports between the two once separated peoples of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, to encourage them to communicate and begin trading with one another, forming friendships and such. Using the new engine design by Kratos, he's designed a passenger skimmer, of the style from back during the Kharlan War, to carry about thirty people. When he spoke to me about it back in Nae Shiu, and I asked how he was going to build them given he has no factories, he asked me if _I_ would be interested in the project. I said yes, and offered to fund the build myself and subsidise the running costs once the network is set up."

A frowning Raine broke the massed stare a moment later.

"That must be awfully expensive, are you sure you can afford it."

The blue haired man winced.

"Raine, my personal fortune is enough to buy several cities the size of Meltokio... To be frank before now I had no idea what to do with it other than let it sit in the Lezareno Company's bank."

The stunned silence that followed was even worse than the previous stare, not even a muted 'holy crap, I never knew he was _that_ rich' broke the others from it.

Being the only one not that impressed by Regal's newly revealed immense wealth, Vayla fixed her gaze on the distant horizon.

"Anyways, let's keep heading south to the Rymett'riron Continent. Once we land I'm afraid it's back walking again."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: I skipped out the base scenes I was going to do... Those things were KILLING me. Seriously, those things are what have kept this fic on hiatus for so long, so I ditched them. (Crosses fingers for continued writer's block free writing) On to the next one. Whew I'm glad I got this thing finished at last.**


	88. Village of the Elves

**Alaia Skyhawk: Yay for a chapter I should have no trouble writing! (kicks writer's block into the bottomless pit of the Shadow Temple)**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr Who 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 88: Village of the Elves

-

The feeling of relief was palpable, as the group of mixed people passed beneath the eaves of ancient trees to look amid the myriad trunks at the glassy water amongst them. The trees provided enough cover that Vayla could finally drop the illusion she'd been holding all day, every day, for the past four weeks, and let everyone breath a sigh that that they'd reached what would likely be their only truly safe place to rest until all this was over.

They followed the packed earthen road that had led them to this section, the sense of weight lifting from their shoulders as those who hadn't seen the Y'mir Forest before looked at it with wonder. It was so peaceful, so serene, that it seemed almost impossible that this sanctuary was such an important focal point for the war between Offspring Races and Angels.

The road began to curve, leading the group out onto a spur of earth that reached into the waters of Y'mir a short way. From that spur a narrow footbridge extended to join others among the trees, and upon it stood a small wooden hut with the crest of Tethe'alla's royal family emblazoned on it. When they approached a pair of guards hurried out, imposing themselves between the walkway and the group.

"Halt! Only those with the permission of the King may enter here!"

The guards began to shuffle uncomfortably, as more than a dozen pairs of eye regarded them blandly. If the group of, to be frank, hardened combat veterans were to pick a fight, would two guards who'd been living in a little hut doing such a cushy job seriously be able to stop them?

Shaking her head, Vayla rolled her eyes.

"Sooo, the fact that I'm a trusted friend of the Elves, with permission from _them_ to come and go from _their _lands as I wish, has no bearing on it?

The guards glanced at one another, clearly uncertain about what to do.

"But uh... but we have orders not to let would-be tourists come in here..."

Silence fell, as the group members glanced at one another and the weapons that most of them visible carried. Zelos raised an eyebrow and spoke what they were all thinking.

"And _we _look like tourists?" He walked up to the men. "I am the Chosen One, Zelos Wilder, and I order you to let us pass, m'kay."

"I-I'm sorry but only with written permission from the King are we allowed to let anyone pass. It's our orders."

"What about the residents? Do you make _them_ present 'written permission' to enter and leave their home?"

All eyes turned to Raine, who looked distinctly irritated. One of the guards spluttered a little.

"Of course not! We're here just to stop sightseers disturbing the Elves."

The silver haired healer lifted her fingers to her lips, letting out a lilting whistle that carried through the trees. Almost immediately the cry of a hawk responded, and said bird soared out of the trees to land on the arm she lifted up for it.

The two guards looked stunned.

"You can call those things? I thought the forest hawks only respond to the people of the village!"

Raine petted the bird on her arm, glaring at the men.

"I was born here; Heimdall is my hometown, and these people are my guests. Now stand aside..."

After a moment's hesitation the guards darted back into their hut, the group strolling past it to walk single file down the walkway behind Raine. As her brother wistfully eyed the hawk he'd never had the chance to learn to call, she led them unerringly through the maze of wooden paths that spanned the water-floored forest. The walk took over an hour, even with her leading, but still they reached the village entrance before the day grew late.

The elven guards on the gate of the village itself looked rather surprised at the strange collection of people who emerged from the trees into the village clearing, even more so that a half-elf among them bore a forest hawk on her arm.

Watching as she dismissed it, they waited for the group to stop before the gate before speaking.

"State your business in Heimdall. Depending on your reason you may or may not be permitted entry."

Raine regarded them solemnly, speaking before either Lloyd or Vayla got the chance to.

"I am Raine Sage; daughter of Virginia and Kloitz. I come with Vayla Targathyr and Inartu Lloyd Aurion of the Alurannai, and we seek to speak to the First Elven Elder."

Stunned hope filled the expressions of both the young elven men on the gate.

"You are the Restoration Group? Please, enter and speak to the elder. We will arrange a place to stay for the night, immediately!"

One of the guards hurried, leaving the other standing there. He smiled at Raine, a little sadly.

"It is good to see you safe and well, Raine. It's been almost seventeen years since your family fled here, and we of the village have never stopped hoping to see you return."

Zelos looked baffled.

"Wait, you _wanted_ a half-elf to come back? I thought elves frowned on half-elves."

Raine turned to face him.

"That is only in front of the Tethe'allan populace. Here and in the other elven settlements, half-elves who are lucky enough to make their way to such places are welcomed and treated no different from elves. The only reason mine and Genis' parents took us from here was because after he and I were discovered to be half-elves, for us to stay would have meant creating a huge and dangerous rift between the Elves and Tethe'alla... They couldn't risk war, not with things the way they are." She turned and headed through the gate. "Come, I'll show you the way to the house of the First Elven Elder."

The group followed, remaining silent as the two silver-haired siblings looked around at this their hometown, a place only one of them could remember. It looked exactly as it had all those years ago, such a short span in elven terms meaning that every face she saw was unchanged from her memories, every face but the handful of now older faces that came rushing down the earthen street towards the group.

"Raine! You're back!"

"Welcome back, Raine!"

The group of young elves about her age surrounded her, hugging and smiling even as Raine looked a little overwhelmed. A moment later one of them spotted her sibling, hauling him into a hug as well.

"By the Spirits, Genis! You may have been a baby when you left but there's no mistaking you. Welcome home!" The young woman who'd hugged him indicated the group with her. "We all grew up alongside your sister until your family left here, and we've really missed both of you."

Vayla, looking on as a speechless young man continued to be buffeted and have his hair ruffled, turned and walked around the mob after speaking to the group.

"Let's leave them to their homecoming. We need to speak to the elder."

By this time Raine had recovered from her initial surprise, smiling brightly as she returned the enthusiastic welcome and began to introduce her brother to the various individuals who had mobbed them.

The remainder of the walk was peaceful by comparison, a few of the elves offering greetings as they passed, many of them recognising Vayla from her recent visits to the area to gather herbs. The large single storey home of the First Elven Elder had, like the village, changed little in all the years, and it was with a sense of nostalgia that Vayla led the group onto the porch and inside when a voice within bid them enter.

Aged blue eyes watched the collection of friends assemble before him, the Elder nodding in recognition at seeing both Vayla and the silver trimmed azure reta worn by the young man beside her.

He closed his eyes for a moment, an air of hope surrounding him in his serenity before he opened them once more.

"And so the Journey of Restoration finally makes its way here, to we who until recent years believed no hope remained at all." He regarded Lloyd thoughtfully. "I see the reta of the Inartu upon your shoulders, and yet you are too young and do not match the description of Inartu Kratos. I admit to being puzzled by this, and would appreciate an explanation and perhaps an introduction."

Lloyd flinched, averting his eyes as a flicker of obvious grief crossed his features before being smoothed away.

"The Great Seed went out of control six weeks ago, when the last of the Mana Links was replaced... Narim Breuntas sacrificed himself to restrain it until we could stop it, so my atasi is Narim now."

Vayla put a hand on his shoulder, before glancing at the Elder.

"Lloyd is the youngest Inartu in the Alurannai's history, bar the first ever Inartu back at our race's beginning. Don't burden him with questions when he already carries the fate of our world on his shoulders."

The elderly elf got to his feet, nodding in understanding and sympathy.

"So he is the Chosen we have waited so long for, the one the Giant Kharlan Tree promised us would come... Lloyd, know that the Elves will aid you in every way we have at our disposal, you do not face this alone. Now, may I ask what brings you here?"

Collette was nudged forward by Presea, Vayla indicating the blond woman with her expression solemn.

"This is Collette, the Chosen of Sylvarant. Her body is rejecting her Cruxis Crystal, and so we've come to get permission to enter Latheon Gorge to get the Mana Leaf Herb we need."

The Elder looked surprised.

"You, Vayla Targathyr, were given permission for such a very long time ago, and we elves consider such permission to last a lifetime. Surely you knew that, so why come seeking me now?"

The group members present all looked at her enquiringly, this clearly being the first they'd heard of this matter. Vayla just shrugged.

"We had to pass close by this area anyway to get to Latheon, so I took advantage of an excuse for Genis and Raine to get to visit here. Though don't tell them that; Raine would likely try to skin me for adding a week onto our travel time to do this."

Regal, smiling, spoke for them all.

"We wouldn't dream of it."

"Genis and Raine? You speak of Virginia and Kloitz's children?" The Elder was once again surprised, but also happy. He smiled when Vayla's nod confirmed his question. "Tell them the house of their birth remains untouched from the day it was abandoned; it is theirs to use as they wish and will always be a home for them here. Also tell them that Areil and Baran, their grandparents, are still in the village and would be overjoyed to see them."

Vayla raised an eyebrow.

"Though given the way I know gossip spreads in this village, I'm willing to bet every coin I've ever owned that Areil and Baran will already be with the Sage Siblings by the time we walk back to where we left them."

With that parting comment she led the group out of the Elder's home, and true to the bet a few minutes later they found an elven couple, wearing the fern-leaf earring of individuals between seven and eight hundred years old, fussing over and hugging a no longer flustered Genis. The young man was practically glowing from the attention, and clearly excited to find himself with true blood relatives other than his sister. When he spotted the group he slipped out from under his grandmother's arm, charging up to them with a grin on his face.

"Hey guys, come meet mine and Raine's grandparents! They said our mom and dad's old house is still empty, so we can use that and those there isn't room for can stay at their house tonight!"

Lloyd and Sheena grinned back, the latter giving him a light thump on the shoulder. The two of them understood all too well the elation of being reunited with family after so long apart.

"That's great, Genis."

_/Indeed, my congratulations on such a happy event. Even if I might regret that another half-elf I once called friend, and his sister, never got the chance of such a reunion with their family as they'd hoped so long ago... Before that day of tragedy./_

Everyone with a receiver crystal froze, the habit of 'listening' having been so ingrained that they did it all the time. That habit had allowed the words of the newcomer to reach their minds, even though they'd not known to expect him.

They turned, looking around until a bark from a nearby roof caught their attention. There standing proud was a Vale Wolf, wide feathered wings of deep blue ruffled by the wind, scarlet Crystal glittering amid the white fur at his throat. With a beat of those wings he lifted gracefully from the rooftop, dropping down to a near silent landing beside the group.

Watching as he did this, Vayla snorted.

"Show off... You always did like your entrances, Annule."

Those in the group not already familiar with the wolf gaped, not least of which Zelos. Staring at the winged canine, he blinked for a moment before clearing his throat to hide his embarrassment at being caught gawking.

"Um, it's an honour to finally meet the last of the remainder of the Nine Companions. I'm Zelos Wilder, the Chosen of Tethe'alla.

Annule tilted his head, the blue marking on his nose twitching as the canine smirked.

_/Oh I know who you are... Sanaro managed to visit me just the once, a year after he was assigned to be your mentor. A 'nice kid with the potential to become a spoiled brat' I believe was his description of you./_

The expression of shock returned, the red head beginning to splutter.

"He... He called me a... Now that is it! The next time I see that sneaky 'Sanru Keran' he's going to get a piece of my mind!"

As the Tethe'allan Chosen continued to mutter darkly under his breath and Lloyd and Sheena moved in to give the wolf a massive hug, Vayla smiled.

"Well it's certainly a case of 'long time no see' You going to keep hanging around here until it's over?"

Looking over the pair of alurannai youths hugging him, Annule chuckled.

_/I'd have visited before now, but then I've had my paws full.../_

He lifted his snout skywards and let out a short howl, the thud of several paws coming from behind one of the nearby houses. A female Vale Wolf trotted into view, followed by a pair of half-grown gangly pups.

It was Vayla's turn to gape, as she looked between Annule and his now surprised huggers, and the three new wolves.

"You... You sneak! Does Sanaro know?"

Annule shook his head, disentangling himself from Lloyd and Sheena's grasp and walking over to nuzzle the female wolf and the two pups.

_/He doesn't, since I've not had the chance to visit him. I stand out a bit too much in Meltokio./_

Vayla frowned, turning and stalking off towards the edge of the village.

"I'll be right back..."

Regal raised an eyebrow as he watched her go.

"Is she doing what I think she's doing?"

Presea nodded beside him.

"Chance that she's heading to the Heimdall Sentinel, to go get Sanaro from Meltokio, one hundred percent."

Genis began to chuckle, as he walked over and ribbed the still frowning red head.

"Hey, Zelos, you're going to get that chance to give him a piece of your mind a lot sooner than you thought."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

It had been a rather heated telling off that had greeted the blond knight upon his arrival in the village, with a rather amused wolf looking on. Sanaro's initial complaining at Annule 'telling on him' was quickly forgotten though, when the wolf had introduced his mate, Yiri, and their two pups; Marthos... and Laria. Two pups; one named after the two Companions who were dead or 'lost', and the other named in honour of what Martel and Yuan would have called a daughter of theirs. They were hope for the future, and Annule was clearly proud to be a father, and his best friend was proud of him too.

The group and the guests were now settling down for the night, most staying at the hastily dusted out Sage household, and the rest staying at the nearby home of Genis and Raine's grandparents. On the expanse of grassy ground between those two buildings, Sanaro was now tumbling and wrestling with his friend's two pups, Yiri looking on with obvious amusement at the amount of dirt the knight was managing to pick up. Also watching from the porch of what was now _their_ house, Genis and Raine looked out at the earthen village streets. Iselia would always be a home to them, but here, now, was also a home. A home they could always return to, a home that tomorrow they would leave to head out on the journey once more.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I'm back on a roll! This was so EASY to write! Hehe, let's see if I can finish Path by the end of next week! NINE CHAPTERS TO GO! DUN DUN DUN!! :D**


	89. Where Once a Friend Lived

**Alaia Skyhawk: Writing bug! Hit it! (Writing Bug presses play on CD player) Weeeeeeeeee! (Dances)**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr Who 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 89: Where Once a Friend Lived

-

The guard in the hut at the valley entrance had merely glanced at them as they'd passed, a messenger bird sent ahead probably having let him know to expect the group. Thus no proof of permission for entry had been asked for, and so now the group walked the winding path that would take them into the gorge valley itself. Towards the rear of the group Collette now rode on Noishe most of the time, despite her objections. The crystallisation of her shoulder had stiffened it to the point now that she could barely lift her arm, meaning if she fell over she had trouble pushing herself back to her feet. To prevent delays due to what would be inevitable clumsiness, she rode on the Arshis.

The path began to widen, the sound of roaring waters reaching their ears as they came out into the open. The waterfall soared hundreds of feet up the side of the area, the river cutting deep into the valley floor. Four thousand years had not made the gorge any longer, or the falls deeper set into the cliff that supported them. This valley was a mystery, a place where the laws of erosion regarding water, wind, and rock didn't seem to apply. Many theorists among the Elves had surmised that the power of a Greater Summon Spirit was preserving the area and the irreplaceable plants growing here... the only problem was that none of said Greater Spirits or Sumara Lords could admit to being the one responsible. The fact remained that the rock surrounding the falls, and the rock beneath the earth of the valley floor, remained immune to all forms of water or ice damage, even wind erosion did nothing here. Only the physical tools of the Elves had been able to carve out the ledges that allowed mages to ascend to the top of the waterfall, everything else may as well be illusory for all it did to the area.

They crossed the first of the bridges, climbing the sloping paths along the length of the valley towards the bridge that would place them below the first of the ledges. Noishe had told Vayla in no uncertain terms that he was not to be left at the bottom, meaning that for the first time in all the millennia... she was going to ride the Flowers of Wind to the top of the falls.

They reached the first of the flowers, which was puffing so much air that when Genis curiously put his face in the firing line his hair was left standing on end. After flattening it again he frowned in concentration, a large bubble forming around him as he called water and wind mana together to form it. Seconds later he jumped a little to get into the gusts from the flower again, and then he was soaring upwards blown from flower to flower back and forth across the face of the falls going ever higher.

Not wanting to see the 'twerp' out do him, Zelos attempted to make a bubble of his own, failing miserably... insult added to injury when a Collette-bearing Noishe jumped past him and instantly summoned a sphere of his own to glide away. Trying not to smirk as Lloyd and Sheena followed, even Mezo indulging in some laziness to fly up with a bubble rather than his own wings, Vayla began to conjure bubbles around the various members unable to do so, pushing them into the gusts from the flower one by one until only she remained below. Then, since it was true she'd never done it before, she too made a bubble around herself and drifted serenely upwards.

It was idyllic, that slow graceful glide pushed by the gusting flowers, it allowed her to see the valley through a rainbow-streaked window that only added to the beauty of the place. She had a lot of memories here, of this valley, and most of them were happy. Times spent debating mana theories with Dareillfin, or stood looking over his shoulder as he'd weaved the stories of the Nine Companion's journeys into mana leaf cloth. This was also the last place she'd seen him, before that fateful trip to the 'Shrine of Light' that had in fact been a Mana Canon facility. She looked southeast, her sharp eyes picking out the third peak in the distance. That place, that was where the end had begun for the Giant Tree, and was the start had been for all that had happened since.

She sighed, pushing the memories away. That chapter begun that day would soon end, and a new chapter begin; one of light and hope, of renewal and life. At the top of the waterfall she still found herself lost in thought, even through speaking to the newest of the Elven Storytellers the back of her mind kept wandering to times past. It didn't change when she left the group to wait and headed down the path to the edge of the falls, the casting of Absolute she used to freeze the centre of the waterfall also serving as a reminder of a day long gone to dust.

Inside the cave a conversation danced at the edge of hearing, regarding how a herb could grow in a place so dark. A remembered retort, not quite gracefully taken, causing a sad smile to tug at the corner of her mouth. The cave where the Mana Leaf Herb grew was as unchanged as the valley outside, the Plaintix guarding it rising from the soil only to regard her curiously as she delicately plucked two sprigs of the herb and stored them in her ver. It still watched her even as she left, with the last task for curing Collette now on her mind. Where to go to get the Rune Crest crafted...

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"Well Virrshim and Braananir are out of the question, what Dwarven Cities are there in Tethe'alla, Vayla?"

She jolted at the question, blinking for a moment before getting her bearings.

"Well Graashim is the closest to here, but it's heavily guarded by Cruxis who use it as a manufactory. I've been to Kaadrim in the Fooji Mountains, and also Trenaarn, which is set into the eastern of the two peaks north of Gaorachia. There are others, but those are the only ones I've been to in Tethe'alla. We'd end up wasting time looking for Dwarven Signposts if we tried any of the others, since I'd have to locate the entrances."

A map was plucked from a ver and unrolled, the edges held down by random weapons to stop them curling. After Vayla pointed out the two cities they had to pick from, travel paths were worked out and it was clear which would be the faster to get to.

Genis leaned back from the map, getting up and stretching his legs.

"Looks like we heading to Kaadrim; it'll take three or four weeks longer to reach Trenaarn."

"But about the same to reach Ozette..."

Raine's voice had broken through her brother's words, her expression focused on something.

Genis looked confused.

"But Raine, why there?"

She looked up at him.

"Because I want to speak to Altessa again. I'm sure, if we tell him what it is we're doing, what our group is trying to achieve for this world... give him that hope back and I'm sure he'll craft the Rune Crest for us. I..." She looked at the floor. "When I think of how he was when we last saw him, and how he used to be back when I first met him in Heimdall. I don't want to leave him like that."

Everyone fell silent, not sure what to say, but Vayla did. She wasn't the only one dealing with past memories this close to the end, and it was a compromise she was willing to make. Worst come to worst she'd hide the group near Ozette and use a Sentinel to skip to Trenaarn and back. Yes she'd been ordered not to use them, in case angels were watching them, but if it came to it she'd bend that rule to make up the lost time. She'd already bent it once to take Sanaro to Heimdall, and Lloyd to take him back to Meltokio, but those two Sentinels were in highly populated areas that Yggdrasil couldn't risk setting a guard on. The ones near Ozette and Trenaarn were fair game for spies.

Making her decision, she rolled up the map.

"Get your bags ready, we're heading for Ozette..."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Kinda obvious what will coming next, well some of it anyway. On to the next one!**


	90. Forgiveness

**Alaia Skyhawk: From here on out the pace is really gonna pick up... This is the kind of chapter sequence that could have me finishing this fic by the end of the week instead of end of next week lol XD**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr Who 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 90: Forgiveness

-

The whine of Rhieard engines echoed back from the surface of the grassy plains so close below, the land flowing away swiftly behind them as they arrowed north towards the forest edge ahead. There had been a change of plans in the last four days, beginning the day after they'd passed by the Y'mir Forest once more. That day Collette had asked Genis why he'd not asked to spend his seventeenth birthday in Heimdall, the mage answering that he'd go there for his eighteenth once the journey was over and the world saved. Moments later she'd fainted, waking up shortly after barely able to get up, never mind walk. It had been decided then that they would fly the whole distance to Altessa's, as close to the ground as possible so that Vayla's illusions could hide them as effectively as best they could. It was risky, but less so than Vayla taking the Sentinels to Trenaarn would be.

Collette now slept in the back of the Cargo Rhieard, Noishe having shuffled around to make space for her in the compartment with him. The Arshis now kept close watch on her as they travelled, keeping her sleep spelled to forgo the constant apologising that would likely have assailed them if she'd been awake. Two more days, that was how long it would take to reach Ozette; after that all that would remain to do would be the final pacts and to seize the Great Seed back from Yggdrasil. Once that was done the worlds would be reunited, and the Prophecy at last fulfilled.

A voice rose from the front of the group, as the auto pilot system holding the Rhieards in formation beneath her illusion made them all follow Vayla's upwards to crest the edge of the immense trees; trees that were more than a hundred feet tall, with some even taller.

"Welcome to Aluran, the ancient forest of the Alurannai. These woods have been our home since the day of our creation, and long have we watched over this place, even in these recent millennia of hardship." The ebon haired woman looked back over her shoulder, at her daughter and Lloyd. "Would that your first time seeing it be in happier circumstances, but it can't be helped I suppose. We should be safe from here on out until we reach Ozette. The Shrine of the Forces, Lord Krishka's domain, is too close now for there to be angels in this area. Yggdrasil would never risk it; within these borders we can breath easy."

Raine glanced down at the canopy below, awed.

"Does that mean that we're?"

"Yes, back in the days it was alive, you'd be close enough to it to be able to sense the presence of the Giant Tree by now. The Giant Tree's Meadow lies northeast of here, in the heart of this forest." Vayla snorted. "Though to call it a meadow makes it sound ridiculously small given it's actually a vast circular plain, but that's what we've always called it. This place holds ancient memories for Yggdrasil that will make him keep his distance, even had the Shrine of Forces not been in these lands. All of the Greater Summon Spirits and Sumara Lords also hold some amount of sway here, which would also make him hesitate to send any angels to these lands. He can't afford to lose too many of them, his stores of Cruxis Crystals are too low for him to throw away servants in an area where a Spirit like Efreet can reduce them to ash if they trespass."

Regal nodded from where he sat upon his Rhieard, hands not upon the controls since it wasn't needed.

"It is good to know. These past months have been tense since those first angels ambushed us on the way to Triet Base, a chance to rest without worry is a welcome one."

Vayla sighed, unheard by the group.

"I suppose it's good that we came this way then. Had we gone to Kaadrim, we'd not have passed close to a Spirit Sanctuary." She turned to face ahead again, glancing up once to check her illusion was still stable. She could only approximate the trees without a focus crystal, which would mean to sharp eyes above a small area of the forest canopy would be fuzzy in appearance, but it would do in such a safe area. "We'll descend and camp in a few hours, then head out again at dawn."

No word was uttered, they weren't needed when silent agreement radiated among them. Two more days and Collette would be cured, two more days and they would resume the path to end this.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Edging through the trees around the village, the group crept through the area with the utmost care. With two half-elves and Presea in the group, even the fact that the girl had now aged normally for over two years would do little to prevent an uproar at their presence within Ozette. Things were best kept quiet and discrete, especially now that they were far from the safe area of land to the south.

The woodcutter led the way, knowing the paths of the area well enough to ensure they met no one. Once this was over she'd come back and try to explain to the people why she'd been the way she had, but that would have to wait until another time. The forest village was soon far behind them, and they now made their way through the cliff riddled area where the dwarf they sought made his home. Throughout this time both Raine and Presea became increasingly tense, both of them needing this chance to set things straight with Altessa. They needed closure, all of them did, and now was probably the best time to do it.

The cliff-home came into view, the front door open as the elderly dwarf scooped coal into bucket out in the yard. He took one look at them and dropped it, sending black chunks rolling across the earthen ground as he darted for the door. A barrier cast by Vayla stopped him from entering and locking them out, forcing him instead to face them.

He glared; both angry and anxious by his expression and the nervous twitch of his fingers.

"Go away, I want nothing to do with you or that girl!" He pointed at Presea. "I told you when you came before, seek help for her elsewhere!"

He was so agitated he clearly hadn't noticed that Presea was older in appearance than when last he'd seen her. She stepped forward, eyes never leaving his face.

"We didn't come here to help _me_, Altessa. My friends saved me over two years ago, shortly after they last came here."

The dwarf hesitated.

"Presea... You've regained your true self?"

She nodded.

"I know you feel guilty about what you did to me and my sister, and bitter that you would be forced into it, but I forgive you." He was now staring in shock. "Rodyle and Vharley are dead, and the old Pope is in prison. The men forcing you to cooperate in the Angelus Project are no longer a threat to you. So please, stop dwelling so much on the past that you forget the future. I had to learn that, and it was hard to do so, but it was worth it for the purpose I've found in my life."

The group looked on in silence, as Raine too confronted the man with words he needed to hear, that she needed him to hear.

"When I met you all those years ago in Heimdall, you were so full of hope. I'd like to see you be that way again." She smiled. "I still have the carving you made me, and have cherished it all this time. Please, listen to reason, and hear out our request. We need you to craft a Rune Crest for us to cure Collette's Chronic Angelus Crystalus Innoficium; we already have all the materials, all we need is for you to make it."

Altessa hesitated.

"But what of Yggdrasil... If I help you and he learns of my being here, he will certainly destroy this place and Ozette as well. That is why I worked for Rodyle, to protect the village."

Lloyd stepped forward, surprised.

"You know about Cruxis? The truth?"

In the stunned silence that followed, the dwarf bowed his head, full of obvious regret.

"I escaped from Graashim not long before Raine met me in Heimdall, and came here to live out my life as anonymously as I could. However, Rodyle came seeking the services of a dwarven craftsman, and in a moment of error I let slip that which gave away my origins. He blackmailed me into cooperating by threatening to tell Yggdrasil who I was and that I was here, with the destruction of the village I'd been in contact with being the obvious result to come of such." He sighed. "You are right. I will help you... I've been a fool for so long, trying to hide from the past, but at the same time wanting to make up for it in the small way I have up until now."

Lloyd frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Altessa regarded him solemnly.

"Have your friend lower her barrier and I will show you." At Lloyd's glance, Vayla released the barrier and the dwarf called through the doorway. "Tabatha, come out here please."

A few moments later the blank eyed young woman emerged from the house to stop beside him.

"...What is it, Master Altessa?"

A voice breathed in shock.

"Dear Spirits... She looks almost exactly like Martel... and her mana signature..."

All eyes turned to Vayla, who was staring at the girl horrified.

Altessa's expression darkened.

"Tabatha is not what she appears to be. I tell those who come here that she is a construct I built, to explain why she does not eat or sleep, but in truth I found her at the edge of the forest near here. She has a Cruxis Crystal on her, and displays all the traits of one reduced to a puppet to become a vessel for Martel. I suspected she's from the breeding program that Yggdrasil runs on Derris Kharlan in parallel to the slower one of the Mana Lineages, and your words now would seem to confirm it... I could have just left her, ignored her, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Instead I brought her here and tried to help her, but my lack of knowledge of the enchantments on her Crystal has prevented me from doing more than giving her a little of her will back. She can think for herself, but she has no emotion."

Vayla quickly recovered, her manner becoming urgent.

"If you have a workroom I could ward, would you like me to try and help Tabatha?"

Altessa's eyes filled with hope.

"You can help her?" The alurannai woman nodded. "Then I will show you a room you can use. Help her, and I will make that Rune Crest for you in the meantime."

Vayla strode over to him, taking Tabatha gently by the arm.

"Agreed. I cannot stand by while a victim of Yggdrasil's madness remains like this, and helping her is the least I can do for you helping us."

The trio disappeared inside, the rest of the group cautiously following. Once inside they saw Altessa emerge from a side room to the right holding a leather pouch recognisable as the one containing the materials to cure Collette, closing the door behind him before indicating the group should get themselves settled.

"I don't have much seating in here, but please, make yourselves comfortable." He paused, remembering something. "Oh and could one of you get the bucket of coal I dropped? I'll be needing it to make the crest."

Zelos, being closest to the door, slipped outside to get the aforementioned bucket, the rest of the group settling themselves around the room's edge sat propped against the walls. All except Lloyd, who walked over to the dwarf.

"Do you need any help to craft the Rune Crest?"

The elderly dwarf sighed.

"While I don't deny an assistant would help, I can't have a novice helping in such a delicate forging."

Lloyd smiled wryly.

"I was raised for thirteen years by a dwarf in Sylvarant, and he taught me as much as he could about forging and crafting given the limited equipment he had. You can trust me to follow your instructions, and at the very least I can keep your forge fire the right temperature."

Altessa looked honestly surprised, before smiling slightly and letting out a small version of the guffaw typical of his race. He also slipped from his precise and formal speaking for a moment, drawling his next words the way Dirk would.

"Well then Ah'd gladly accept your help, iffin you're still willin' to give it."

The two of them headed down the ramp into the dwarf's work area, after Lloyd plucked the bucket of coal from the limp fingers of a surprised Zelos at the door. Given the way he'd spoken up until now, to hear Altessa speak like your average dwarf was something of a shock.

The red head blinked.

"Did I miss something?"

Genis chuckled and indicated to Zelos he should find himself a place to sit.

"Lloyd just got Altessa to 'loosen up' a bit. A word of advice, don't go into the workroom until they're done. If Altessa is anything like Dirk when it comes to complex crafting, those two are going to be talking practically a different language in there."

Zelos sat down, still looking rather bemused.

"I think I'll follow that advice."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The glow of the coals pulsed with the rhythm of the bellows, as Lloyd carefully watched the embers for the tell tales signs that would tell him to stop or make the fire too hot. The tiny forge in a room adjacent to Altessa's other work area was stifling, both current occupants soot streaked from their efforts so far. Lloyd was manning the larger of the two fires, using occasional gusts from the bellows to keep it hot enough for the second stage of the crafting. During this Altessa had been vigorously pumping the bellows of the tiny fire set inside a kiln, carefully peering inside now and then to check the precious contents of the ceramic vessel inside.

He paused, shouting to be heard over the hiss of bellows and roar of embers.

"The Mana Zircon is almost ready! Get that mould over here!"

Lloyd dropped the handle he'd been holding, hurrying to where a wooden box containing a mould made of fine, densely packed damp sand stood. They'd made that mould before starting to melt the ore, two halves of the sand block made separate and then strapped together carefully. Inside, in the middle below the pour hole in the top, was a space the rough size and shape of the crest and the ring that would clip into the back of it.

He carried it over with the utmost care, setting it gently on the worktable beside the dwarf as he too shouted over the noise.

"Here it is!"

Altessa peered into the kiln one last time before leaping into action, grasping the ceramic cup in a pair of long tongs and swiftly pulling it out of the white-hot confines. Lloyd hastily got out of his way, as he turned to face the mould and upended the cup into the pour hole at the top.

Metal like blue-white fire streamed through air into that hole, Altessa setting the now empty cup aside and beginning to mutter under his breath. It was a rhythmic rhyme dwarves used to track time, meaning he was waiting for the exact moment he could dismantle the mould.

Lloyd went back to the other fire, pumping the bellows a couple of times as he watched the dwarf. Altessa had explained to him why Mana Zircon was so difficult and delicate to craft with. It could only be smelted once after it was created, since the magic that had formed it would be burned off by the immense heat needed to melt it. It would also solidify and cool very rapidly once removed from that heat, meaning it had to be poured right first time or it would be useless for the crest. It was a very tense minute of utter stillness that followed while Altessa muttered, a minute that descended into frenetic movement when the dwarf suddenly un-strapped the mould and gave it a firm thump with a hard rubber mallet kept ready close by.

The sand crumbled with the impact, sliding outwards in a pile allowing the trailing end of the poured metal to protrude from it. That end was grabbed lightly with a small pair of tongs, Altessa pulling it free of the debris. The two rings of metal, connected by the excess metal of the pouring, seemed to be alright, but it was only once Altessa had clipped them free and hung them from a rod that they knew for sure. He tapped each of them, a pure unflawed chime coming from each despite the sand fused to their surface.

"I need my flatting board, a size four standard file, and a size two crescent file!"

Again Lloyd retrieved what was requested, holding the abrasive flatting board still as Altessa lay the two rings on it and began to move them in circles. Sand was ground away, the rings picked up and the last specs remaining removed using the standard file. The groove in the back of the thicker ring was then cleaned with the crescent file, a cylindrical file which curved at the exact same angle as the groove in the ring.

That done, Altessa moved to the large forge fire Lloyd had been tending, setting the precious items on the coals to keep them hot enough to use a small hammer to fine tune the shape. His eyes were utterly focused on this task... The first task he'd ever done which he felt might help to redeem him for all he'd done in his life.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

A mass of curious eyes watched as two sprigs of herb were slipped carefully into the back of the blue-silvery ring of metal, a smaller thinner ring clipping over the depression and locking into place seamlessly. It was incredible that such a simple appearing item could be so powerful, but a Rune Crest alone was the only way to cure that from which Collette suffered.

With a deep breath Lloyd clipped the crest into place over Collette's Crystal, the Mana Zircon bright against the gold of the rest of its mount.

"The crystallisation should start to recede right away. With this, Collette will be back to normal in a few hours."

Lloyd and Altessa looked exhausted from their efforts, soot smeared as they were, but both were smiling with satisfaction at a job well done. They'd put their hearts and souls into making that Rune Crest, and it see it in place was the greatest reward possible. Collette's smile in return was also a great reward, as she reached out and hugged Lloyd as tightly as she could with her unaffected arm. A two-armed hug would have to wait until later.

"Thank you! Thank you for going to so much trouble for me!"

Zelos came over, patting Lloyd on the back as Genis playfully mused up the alurannai youth's hair.

"Ya did great, Bro."

"Yeah, Lloyd, great job."

"Let's not forget Altessa, he would have done most of the crafting work after all..."

Everyone turned to see Vayla coming out of the side room the dwarf had left her in, a still blank-eyed Tabatha following her out. She looked around at them, and answered their silent question.

"I've removed all of the binding enchantments. Like Collette, Tabatha should be back to her true self in a little while."

Collette beamed, joy lighting her face.

"That's wonderful!" She then turned to a startled Altessa. "And before I forget, thank you so much for helping me!"

The dwarf's head vanished beneath a one-armed hug, Altessa blushing a little at the praise when he was released a moment later.

"It's fine, I was happy to help."

"It's good to see a glimpse again of the man I met in Heimdall." Raine walked over, smiling. "I think today has been a healing experience for many of us, and in more ways than just one."

Altessa smiled back, nodding.

"Indeed. I believe that maybe now, I can finally move on with my life. All thanks to you and your friends."

Any further words of happiness that may have followed were suddenly silenced, as the ground shook violently and a shudder went through the air.

Lloyd gasped, an expression of horror crossing his face.

"The mana levels... they just rocketed!"

Vayla rushed for the door.

"This is what happened at Andorei Wrau! The mana levels raised so that angels could attack en mass!"

She burst out through the door, the rest of the group coming out behind her before she skidded to a stop gazing upwards with a mixture of anger and despair.

Yggdrasil glared down at her, wings flapping idly as he hovered amidst a force of at least a thousand angels.

"Surrender the Chosen... Powerful or not, against _this_ force you cannot win, Vayla."

Vayla gritted her teeth, trying to reach out with her mind to summon help but the power of the Eternal Sword thwarting her.

"How did you find us here?!"

The angel snorted derisively.

"A certain someone assumed I would not risk sending my forces to keep watch on a certain homeland... Once you were located flying over the forests of Aluran, tracking you here was simple... And Lloyd, Sheena, don't even think of trying to Summon anything. You'll be dead before you get halfway through the incantation."

"Dammit!"

Vayla could only look up helplessly, powerless to do anything much like Lloyd and her daughter. They had nowhere to run, and thanks to the Eternal Sword calling for help was impossible. She was still standing there, mind desperately trying to think of something, when Tabatha emerged from the house...

Green eyes beneath pale green hair gazed up at the icy visage of the leader of Cruxis, blinking slowly before a tiny frown creased her features.

"...I know you..."

He looked at her, a conflicting expression of shock and hate crossing his features.

"You!"

She continued, her deadened voice slowing filling with building denial.

"You... You promised me I'd see the Lady... but then you..." She staggered backwards, voice and eyes filling with horror. "You lied to me! All that time, you kept me in a room, and were nice to me, but it was all lies! When you tied to use me to bring that lady back and it didn't work you just threw me away!"

The accusation in her tone was like a knife, one that pierced to the heart; so heartrendingly similar to Martel, for a moment it was as if the deceased woman was the one screaming.

Yggdrasil flinched, paralysed by that moment of conflict. Seeing his chance at the distraction, Genis grabbed his kendama and rushed forwards, calling forth a maelstrom of mana and aiming it at the angel lord.

"SHADOW LANCE!"

Yggdrasil was slammed aside from the spell by one of his own servants, that angel crumpling under the powerful strike of dark mana, while meanwhile a dozen other angels took aim and retaliated with brutal force...

Genis could only gape in terror as the bolt of light mana streaked down on him, Raine racing towards him with an expression of denial.

The ground shook and the light vanished, leaving only the young mage to fall limp and bloodied to the ground as a woman's scream split the air...

"_GENIS!!!_"

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Eeep! I swear he's going to be alright! Please don't hit me! (Hides from readers) While I work on the next chappie why not check out the first chapter of my new fic "Through Innocent Eyes" It's Tabatha's altered backstory based on this series, so maybe you'll want to hit Yggie more than me after that. (Is still hiding)**


	91. Escape

**Alaia Skyhawk: For those who thought the Welgaia stuff would be cut because of the Alurannai being in fic... TA DA, here it is with only a handful of edits!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAH!**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr Who 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

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Chapter 91: Escape

-

It was like a nightmare...

Once Genis had been struck by the angels' attack, Yggdrasil had left in disgust after ordering the group be taken prisoner. Tabatha and Altessa had retreated into the cliff home and were left alone by the soulless mob, but the group hadn't stood a chance. Of all of them only the Protozoans and the Spirits had escaped, two small mammals, a giant 'dog', and a giant bird not registering in the blank angel minds as being targets to capture. Those four would certainly raise the alarm, but as for rescue, that would be another matter. Even if it could come to the heart of the angel stronghold, would it come in time to save Genis?

The agonised gasping tore at them, Genis fighting for every breath he took; so badly wounded that he was slowly and inexorably dying. Only nine of their group brought here to welgaia, they'd been separated between two cells. Males in one, females in the other, and there lay the problem. Vayla, the only one with the knowledge and skill to save Genis, was locked in a cell fifty yards away from him. A cell whose bars were built to resist all magic, though by dint of using 'crafting magic' on them she was shaving hair thin pieces off one of the bars to gradually sever it... If only it weren't taking her so long.

Lloyd held Genis' head in his lap, trying to comfort him even as tears of helplessness fell from his eyes while Zelos and Regal looked on.

"Vayla! Hurry up! He's not going to last much longer!"

His voice, echoing in the barren vault that was the prison block, was filled with desperation, bouncing back from metal walls like a taunt as he tried again to heal his best friend with little effect. The spells he knew just weren't strong enough.

From the cell holding the girls, the alurannai woman's voice rang out in response.

"I know! I'm going as fast as I can! Crafting Spells weren't exactly designed for breaking out of anti-magic prison cells! I'm almost halfway through the first cut, but these bars are too thick for even an alurannai to bend. I'll have to cut through the same bar again to take a chunk of it out!"

Lloyd bit his lip... Only halfway through the first of two cuts? She'd been working on it for almost half an hour... An hour and a half... Genis didn't have that long. Lloyd sat there, helpless, as Genis wavered in and out of conciousness, still fighting to breathe. The front of his shirt was a mess of shredded cloth and flesh, soaked red, though the bleeding had now stopped. That had been the one thing Lloyd had been able to do for him, stop the bleeding, if only he hadn't lost so much already.

Zelos and Regal turned to look away, neither able to watch any longer, as Lloyd bowed his head as though to pray as he contemplated on if any of the Spirits could help... But then the only ones whose elements could heal were Undine and the Sylph, and neither were likely to be able to do more than what his limited Pure Form Healing arts could do. Not only that but calling them here could well disturb Genis, who as a spellcaster was sensitive to mana changes, in such a way as to increase the rate of his deterioration... Heck, up here on Derris Kharlan the Eternal Sword would keep all but the three highest ranking Sumara Lords out, and not even Krishka would be able to intervene in this case.

Lloyd blinked, struck by a sudden thought.

_Maybe he can... Just not directly..._

The young Inartu reached out with his mind, searching for the presence that was the Summon Spirit of Life.

**Lord Krishka, Genis is dying, and Vayla won't be able to break out of her cell in time. I have an idea that might save him, but I don't know how to do it. Can you talk me through how it's done?**

Krishka didn't need Lloyd to elaborate, he could sense what he wanted to do. The Spirit's tone wary, he spoke.

**Lloyd, no member of the Nartana has even done that as young as you. The youngest to date had two danne of age to their experience. You've only twenty-three **_**years**_**.**

The young alurannai clenched his fist, gripping tightly some of Genis' long silver hair.

_**My friend is dying! I don't care if no one as young as me has tried it before! Tell me how! Now!**_

Krishka fell silent, before speaking with a tone that held both a note of reproval at the demand, and yet also respect for the youth's determination.

**Very well, this is what you must do...**

The two men who were in the cell with him remained oblivious to what Lloyd was doing, by vitue of having their backs to him. Neither saw him hold out his right hand, or the large ball of mana that gathered in it...

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

There was an earpiercing screech of abused metal, followed by a resounding crash, as Vayla slammed the piece of severed bar so hard it impacted with the far wall with enough force to become imbedded there. Violet wings a blur, she darted down the row of cells and accessed the locking control terminal, opening every cell in the block. That done, she raced into the cell that held the men in the group. The red and blue haired occupants turning, eyes widening just as Vayla's did when they saw Genis. Lloyd was still holding him, but far from the injured mage's recent silence being due to being close to death... it was due to the fact that most of his wounds were now closed. A faint mutter from Lloyd, and another simple healing spell flowed over Genis, closing yet more of the wounds with an efficiency that shouldn't have been possible on one wearing an ordinary exsphere.

Lloyd looked up at her, then at Genis' right hand... and then down at the area of blood smeared skin at the base of his throat that was partially concealed by shreds of cloth.

Vayla stared at the now bare hand. His exsphere was now on the floor, its crudely modified crest now holding a scarlet crystal at the base of his throat... She met Lloyd's eyes, shock written on her face.

**How? You're too young to know...**

Lloyd sighed, exhausted from his efforts.

**I got Lord Krishka to talk me through it... It was the only way he'd have a chance; if I hadn't he'd be dead by now. Can you keep him unconcious? I think it's better if he doesn't wake up before we get out of here.**

After a moment's thought, she nodded, and just as the rest of the girls came charging up to the cell she got up, pocketing the removed exsphere.

"Genis is going to be fine, but if he starts to wake up on our way out I'm going to sleep spell him. He's in no condition to fight, and he won't make a fuss this way. Now let's go!"

She set off at a run, a mage laden Lloyd following close behind. He couldn't let any of the group get a close look at Genis, it would raise questions that right now they didn't have the time to answer.

Vayla led the way out of the cell block, thankfully having learnt enough of the angel city from Kratos and Yuan to have an idea of where the group's equipment had been taken. They charged through the prison facility, the aluannai woman charring every angel they crossed paths with to dust. Nothing could be allowed to raise the alarm as to the escape, which meant the group would have to be merciless in their passage through this place. The equipment was where she hoped it would be, and it was as she was handing each to its owner that a small white Spirit appeared among them.

Dalli sighed in relief at seeing they'd managed to begin their escape, passing Vayla a small metalic card he had in his mouth.

"Yuan sends his regards, and asks me to inform you that that card can open every door in the Holy City. You can use it to access the maintenance section below the populated areas, to get into the Tower of Salvation via the emergency teleporter panel located there. Kratos is preparing a decoy force to siege the base of the tower, while Yuan leads a small insertion force in through the secondary entrance. With any luck Yuan will have secured the exit in the maintenance section by the time you reach it. Yggdrasil should be too busy gloating over how useless it is for the Alurannai to attack the outside of the tower to notice what's going on under his nose; Yuan says he has no idea the Tower Teleporter has a backup." He looked around, concerned. "By the way, how's Genis doing? Is he alright?"

Lloyd stepped into view, allowing the Spirit to see the half-elf in his arms.

"He'll be fine, but we're going to keep him unconcious until we get out of here. He's in no condition to fight." He smiled. "Thank's for coming, Dalli. With you to guide us out we shouldn't have too much trouble if we're discrete."

Dalli winced.

"I wouldn't thank me too much just yet... Yuan also informed me that the maintenance section is full of automated defences. None of them trigger the city alarm, but that's because they're powerful enough to deal with most intruders on their own. That's why he's taking the risk of coming up here, to hack the defence grid and deactivate most of the security down there."

A rather grim faced Raine asked the next question.

"Which leaves me to ask what part of the defences you imply he can't deactivate?"

The little Spirit was now cringing.

"The Security Automotons... As the name suggests, they're autonomous from the security grid. Some can cast the equivalent of magic, and the rest have enough weapons or sheer brute strength to be capable of taking down an alurannai if the individual isn't careful."

"..."

Vayla cursed under her breath.

"And I'm pretty sure I know why Yuan knows so much about those things' capabilities... After this he's going to get a long talk regarding what he's been designing for Cruxis while pretending to be loyal to them all these years. Let's go. Dalli, lead the way."

The little Spirit raced out of the room, his form becoming indistinct as he made himself invisible to all but the group. He would scout for them as he guided them, and with any luck they wouldn't cross paths with any angels along the way. The path they took was convoluted, the group being hopelessly lost in seconds without Dalli's help, but he soon had them stood before a teleporter panel, hidden in a corner of an upper city street.

Zelos peered around the corner of the nearby building, taking note of the soulless angels gliding about beneath the city's glass dome.

"Man those things are seriously creepy..."

Dalli voice called him back over, as Vayla ran the security card given by Yuan over the control terminal next to the panel.

"Creepy they may be, but don't forget that with a single order from Yggdrasil they'd rip you limb from limb or die trying. There are worse angels in Welgaia than the soulless; the soulless do nothing but what they are instructed to, it is the angels controling them that you need to fear."

The panel began to glow, the group stepping onto it as the convict among them spoke.

"Then let us leave this place as quickly as possible."

The panel flared, the group vanishing. When they reappeared a moment later, they were in a low ceilinged chamber with walls that were ocre rather than silver or violet. They were definitely out of the main part of the city. They were just about to leave the room when a faint tremor shook the floor, and it was Presea who spoke what they all thought.

"It would appear Kratos has begun his assault on the tower."

Lloyd, holding the still unconcious Genis close, nodded.

"Yeah, we need to hurry."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Red-brown eyes were hard as they fixed upon the ivory spear jutting up into the sky, the veil of auburn hair partally obscuring them doing nothing to hide the anger on that face. Yggdrasil had made a huge error in capturing the group, and while he didn't know he had the Chosen of Restoration, the greatest of all threats to his power, right under his nose, the Offspring Races did...

And they were going to get him back...

The swarms of angels teleporting into view stayed close to the tower, hiding behind the powerful shield that surrounded it... A pity for them Kratos was the one who had created that sheild.

Eyes narrowing, the Narim held out a hand towards it, the ethreal voice of the Tree within him emerging from his throat as he linked into that barrier. The pure white veil of the sheild began to turn gold, strands like spun sunlight racing upwards to wrap it like a strangling vine. More and more of the barrier's mana was converted into a song shield, and then with a final jarring note Kratos ended his melody with a discordant screech.

The barrier rippled, cracks radiating upwards as strands of golden light had done moments before. Then like glass it shattered into shards, but unlike glass this was utterly silent but for the sudden roar of spells streaking towards the now defenceless angels.

Angels began to fall into the ravine from which the tower rose, dropping like miniature comets under the hail of magical fire thrown at them. He'd only brought two coetries with him, a hundred alurannai, to keep Cruxis uncertain as to how many alurannai were left. Given the mana levels they couldn't keep this assault up for long, but they were here purely for show. All angel eyes would be fixed on this fight, as Yggdrasil's would be fixed on him...

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Brown eyes narrowed as their owners flinched, Sheena and her mother grimacing as their song shield was pounded on by a monstrous machine so large it near filled the hallway. Dalli hadn't been kidding about the strength and firepower of the security automatons, and this was the fifth large one they'd dealt with as they worked their way down through the network of passages that made up Welgaia's maintenance section.

Seeing the strain on the pair's face, Lloyd glanced at Dalli of the mage he was carrying. Genis had begun to stir a short while ago, but had been sleep spelled by the Spirit to keep him quiet.

"How much further, Dallinius?"

The little white wolf looked up at him, while around them the rest of the group who had ranged attacks were pounding on the machine until it began to fall to pieces.

"We're almost to the final elevator. The area we arrive in after that should have already been secured by Yuan and his force."

The automoton finally crumbled, Vayla and Sheena dissolving their shield and leaping over the wreckage with the rest of the group close behind. The tremors through the passages had become far less frequent now, meaning it was likely that the decoy attackers would soon be forced by mana exaustion to retreat. The elevator soon came into view, as a last few smaller automatons were brutally dealt with. The tense ride downwards took several agonising minutes, but it was a very welcome sight that greeted them when they emerged.

Yuan waved them urgently to follow, a mixed group of alurannai and Renegades with him.

"We need to hurry. I got word from Kratos that he and the two coetries can hold out maybe another ten minutes at most. We need to reach the secondary tower exit before they are forced to pull back!"

Another voice spoke up, the owner's blue eyes worried as the Mizuhoan half-elf fell in alongside a mage burdened Lloyd. Mika glanced at Genis as they ran after Yuan.

"Is he alright?"

"He'll be fine." Lloyd murmured the next bit so only she would hear. "He's going to get a surprise when he wakes up though. Vayla and I are going to have to teach him to control his new strength asap once we're out of here and he wakes up. He could end up unintentionally breaking something or hurting someone otherwise."

Mika's eyes widened.

"You mean he's now a..?"

Lloyd nodded.

"It was the only way I could save him. I just hope he isn't mad at me when he finds out."

The Renegade Third snorted.

"Yeah right, you're best friend will freak for you saving his life and extending his lifespan. He'll get used to it."

Yuan's shout came from the front, Milleisi, Vann, and Harriers Two and Three scrambling into action around the huge teleporter panel they guarded.

"Charge the system, I want all of us out of here in one group!"

Vann's fingers raced over the controls of a nearby terminal, the fifty-some people cramming onto the giant panel with barely enough room to spare as it flared. Moments later they were appearing a handful at a time from a smaller glowing circle inside a very familiar tower, although the platform they were on was not that which held the Fifth Seal of the Ritual.

Racing down the glass-floored walkway, they exited the tower through a small door into a dark and narrow passage, metal walls giving way to mundane rock after a short while as Yuan sighed in relief. They soon emerged into a small valley, the fading sounds of battle just begining to peeter out. Everyone stood panting, catching their breath, filling with relief when a large force of alurannai appeared from the nearby trees.

One of them stepped forward, his expression solemn.

"We are here to transport Yuan and his Renegades back to their base, and the Restoration Group to the Heart of the Citadel. The Heart of the Citadel is the most powerful of the Sumara Lords' strongholds, and it is one which Yggdrasil has neither seen nor knows of. It will be a place to rest, and to regroup."

Lloyd nodded, walking towards this group of his people with his friends following behind.

"Take us there. After what we've just been through, a chance to rest and plan our next move is what we need."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The area within the pure white circle of wall was peaceful, devoid of the taint of battle in the outside world. The aura of the Summon Spirits permiated the grove, upon whose walls was etched the meaning of the name Alahnsyr. They would be safe in the Heart of the Citadel, safe to regroup and prepare for the final challenges to come.

Sat around the small campfire, the group was silent as they waited. Vayla was cooking a much needed meal for them all, but the rest of them couldn't bring themselves to relax until the unconcious member of the group woke up. It seemed almost an eternity until he stirred, all eyes turning to him the moment he began to move.

There was a faint groan, the silver haired mage stiffly sitting up. Peering around blearily, he then glanced down to the mass of bandages covering him from neck to waist. A split second later, everyone that didn't know what Lloyd had done leapt to their feet calling out with relief.

"Genis, you're awake!"

"Good to see up, shrimp."

"Genis, are you well now?"

"It's good to see you're awake."

The moment the voices of Raine, Zelos, Presea, and Regal reached his ears, Genis clamped his hands over them, wincing.

"Geeze, there's no need to scream your heads off..."

The four of them looked confused, Raine regarding Genis with a puzzled expression.

"But Genis, we're talking normally... none of us are shouting."

He lowered his hands, frowning.

"Huh?" He winced again, this time at his own voice. Why had it sounded so loud, and come to think of it, why did _everything_ sound so loud? The crackle of the campfire, the wind through the trees they were camped under, even the sounds of Vayla stirring something in the pot over the fire... It was like he'd been partially deaf all his life and only now was he hearing properly. "What the heck is going on? Why's everything so loud?"

Just a short way from him, Lloyd glanced over nervously, taking a deep breath as Vayla caught his eye an indicated he should explain. After all, it was his actions that had put Genis in the situation he was in.

"Um... I uh... Genis, back when we were in that cell in Welgaia, you were dying and I realised Vayla wouldn't break out of her cell in time to save you... So I asked Lord Krishka to teach me something I wouldn't normally have been taught until I was at least two or three danne of age... Guys, there's something you should all know. The reason the Alurannai were the ones who people had to go to to get a Cruxis Crystal wasn't because the Spirits entrusted the crystals to them... It's because the Alurannai are the ones who make them... Or rather, the Nartana are the ones who make them... That's why Crystal Users are so similar to alurannai. It's because Cruxis Crystals grant the user some of the abilities of the Alurannai, though not all of them... Back in that cell I made you a Cruxis Crystal, Genis, and I put it on you..." Everyone but those who knew were wide eyed with shock, Genis lifing a hand up to his chest to find that beneath the bandages there was a lump just where Lloyd implied it would be. "That's why everyone sounds so loud, Genis... You're senses have all become much much sharper... because you're a Crystal User now..." Raine looked like she was going to faint, and to be quite frank Regal, Zelos, and Presea looked little better. Lloyd took a deep breath. "If you don't believe me, then stand up and do what Collette describes she does to bring out her wings."

Genis hesitated, before the urge to know made him get shakily to his feet. He closed his eyes, mutting through that long ago heard description by Collette until with a look of surprise his eyes opened. Tendrils of mana drifted out from his back, condensing together into segmented translucent wings of turquoise centred gold. Head slowly turning, he looked at the wings that reached out from his back to glitter in the firelight. Then as if some spell had broken, a great grin spread across the seventeen year old's face and he began to laugh.

"Now you're in for it, Lloyd! No more escaping into the air when you pinch the last of the desert!" He flaped his wings a couple of times, getting used to the feel of them. "This is so cool."

Relieved laugher broke out, as everyone moved to sit down. If Genis was happy with it, then everyone else needn't worry, or at least not worry as much. However, there was one thing Vayla was going to point out to the mage.

"Genis, this might seem fun now, but you need to remember the consequences of becoming a Crystal User. You've stopped ageing, so you're going to remain physically seventeen years old for the rest of your life. You're going to live on, long past when those around you will grow old and die. The only way out is through illness, injury, malicious intent... or suicide."

Genis hesitated, turning to face his sister.

"Raine..."

She smiled sadly.

"Look at it this way. No one truly knows when they are going to die. It could be tomorrow, or many years in the future. And even when I'm gone, I'll always be with you in your heart and memories. As half-elves we already have to face seeing our human friends grow old and die before we do. This is no different."

Genis thought this over, before glancing at Collette as he remembered something he'd learnt from her.

"'Look on the bright side and smile' ...If we live every day to it's fullest, and as if it's our last, then when the time comes to say goodbye we'll have no regrets... I'm gonna be fine, Sis... Besides, this means I'm gonna have ten thousand years to hang around with Lloyd instead of just a thousand."

Lloyd grinned.

"Let's just hope you don't get sick of me by then. You should see my ata and Yuan now and then. I've seen Ata put and hold him in a headlock for six hours straight when they had an argument about something."

Vayla chuckled.

"Oh I've seen those two do worse than that to each other. Yuan once burried Kratos in a ten foot deep magically created crevace. He opened it, pushed Kratos in, and then closed it. It took Kratos over two hours to dig himself out, after which he returned the favor by encasing Yuan in a block of ice... And as you know when ice melts it becomes water, and Yuan is a lightning mage..."

Laughter broke out again, and soon they were all reminising about jokes from their pasts, everyone relaxing as the came to terms with the sudden change of circumstances for their youngest member.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"Do you guys mind if I go for a walk? I'm kinda stiff right now and I wanna stretch out before I get stuck or something."

Everyone shook their heads, no one minding. It was fairly obvious he wanted some alone time to think through what being a Crystal User really meant. No one was going to begrudge him.

Giving them a small smile of thanks, he headed off towards a low hill visible in the dappled moonlight a short distance away. When he reached it, stopping beside the spring which bubbled up from the summit, he looked up through the gap in the canopy at the stars, many of which he'd never been able to see before... It made him feel incredibly small.

_I'm never gonna grow old... I'm stuck as I am for the rest of my life, unless I do something extreme like use my mana to age myself, like Vayla said Mithos did. If we beat Cruxis, and revive the Giant Tree, what am I supposed to do with the rest of my life? Yeah, helping rebuild the world, and helping to end discrimination are two things... but what about after those are both done? That wasn't such a scary thought before, when I knew I would grow old and die like normal. But now that'll never happen, and I'm gonna live on and on until something kills me or I end it myself... What if, after ten thousand years when Lloyd is gone... What if I end up all alone? With everyone I know now dead and gone, and only me left..._

He started to tremble, the fear of that fate setting in.

_All... alone..._

"Genis."

The mage winced, still unused to his increased hearing. His trembling stopped by the distraction, he turned and saw Presea standing at the bottom of the hill from him looking up. He gave her a half smile.

"Hey, Presea..."

His voice petered out, as his sombre thoughts from a moment before came back... She was human, and at best had about eighty years left of her life... He was going to have to watch her grow old while knowing he never would.

She walked up to stand beside him, staring up at the stars. Almost as it reading his thoughts, she spoke.

"You won' be alone, Genis. Think of all the people you know who are like you, who will never grow old and die like that. You won't be alone, and I'm sure you'll find a path to follow. You'll still have them all. Kratos, Yuan, Sanaro, Annule, Gaea, Kaleian, Mezo, Noishe, and all the others... and me..."

Genis blinked.

"Y-You? But you're not a Crystal User..."

The rose haired girl sighed, closing her eyes.

"Genis, you know my exsphere stopped me from ageing for almost eighteen years... and that has consequences... When we were in Nae Shiu Vayla took me to the healers so they could check me over. They found that although my exsphere is fully suppressed now, it's too entwined with me for me to remove it without dying... That and the fact that since my body didn't change for so long, it's affected it so that normal growth is actually slowly killing me. If my aging continues, I won't live past the physical age of twenty-five before my body burns out. With that in mind, they asked me if I would want them to finish changing it into a Cruxis Crystal once I'd aged a few years, so that at least I could be an adult rather than trapped as a child for the rest of my life." She opened her eyes, facing him through the nighttime shadows. "I accepted the offer. Once I'm physically mature Lloyd or Kratos will transform my exsphere. So you see, you'll still have me in centuries to come." She blushed, a fact not quite hidden by the darkness. "A-Actually I'm glad we'll both be Crystal Users... because that means I won't have to watch you grow old... I... I don't want to lose you like that..."

The silver haired mage stared at her in shock. Did she just say what he thought she did?

"W-Wait a minute... You... You _like_ me?" She looked at the floor, her blush deepening as she looked every inch the young girl embarrased at admitting she _liked_ someone. It didn't matter that she was actually in her thirties. Those years in a trance were just an endless repetition of certain events for her with no sense of passing time, so to all intents and purposes emotionally she still was still rather young, though certainly not a child. Genis put at hand on her shoulder, using the fingers of his other to lift her chin. "You love me?"

Presea met his gaze, a hint of fear at being rejected showing in her eyes. The fingers under her chin moved, the hand instead resting against the side of her face. Bringing her own hand up to touch his, she gave the smallest of nods as she whispered.

"Yes..."

Nothing more was said, as Genis leaned down and kissed her. Holding each other beneath the stars, it was in that blissful moment that Genis murmured something in her ear with a hint of a chuckle.

"I know some people would look at me and think me crazy for saying this to a 'fourteen' year old, but I've wanted to say this for a while now... Presea... W-will you... marry me?"

Hugging him tight as she smiled over his shoulder, she answered.

"I've been waiting for you to ask that... Yes, Genis, I will..."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

By the campfire, Vayla glanced in the direction of the hill and smiled. The volume had been right on the limit of her range, but she'd definitely heard the end of that conversation. Sighing happily, she continued cleaning her glaive.

"Ah, young love... It's like Yuan and Martel all over again, though Genis hasn't taken anywhere near as long to pluck up the courage to ask. All that's to be said is if they want to fomalise it now or wait until all this is over... Though given the risks we're facing, it'll probably be the former."

Everyone turned to face her, only the Protozoans and the two summon spirits picking up right away on the meaning of what she'd just said. As they chuckled, everyone else just looked baffled.

Raine frowned, confused.

"What are you talking about, Vayla? Genis asking what?"

At that point everyone else _but_ the silver haired woman put two and two together and realised what this was about. All of them breaking into chuckles as Vayla too took on a rather mischevously wicked grin as she regarded the woman sitting just a short way from her.

"Oh just that you're about to get a sister-in-law... They're both adults, though Presea still has a couple of years before her body catches up with her. Even so, they're perfectly capable of making a decision about it..." She chuckled. "Genis just asked Presea to marry him... and she said yes."

Raine sat there, stunned for several seconds, before slowly an extremely happy smile spread across her face. It was then that _she_ faced _them_ with a secretive glint in her eyes.

"Well then, if my brother is officially engaged, then I might as well spill the beans... Ianir asked me to marry him the last time we passed through the Triet Base... and I said yes. We plan on marrying as soon as the worlds are reunited, since right now we both have our own commitments to the Plan to take care of."

"Ianir asked you to marry him? And you never said anything?"

Everyone turned to see that the two love birds had come back to camp, and from their blushing faces it was clear they'd heard Vayla tattle on what she'd overheard. The questions weren't answered, as both the newly engaged pair and Raine were met with a profusion of congratulatory back patting and smiles. It was when this died down that two certain summon spirits took on their greater forms and cleared their throats to get everyone's attention.

Of the two, it was Dallinius who spoke.

"Well, as we have the Summon Spirits of Unity and Heart here to bless it, along with ample witnesses... We could perhaps hold the Alurannai version of a wedding if you two are agreeable. Vayla gave her friends one hour's notice of her and Rennan's decision to finally say their Vows... You could beat them hand's down with a notice of three minutes if you like."

The Crystal User and future Crystal User looked at each other, before grinning and facing the two spirits as Presea put her arms around Genis and pulled him close in this magical moment.

"Why not?" She looked up at the young man who had been her fiance for all of a few minutes. "Genis?"

He looked down at her, before hugging her back.

"Yeah, why not? Dalli, what do we have to do?" The next second Vayla ushered all the witnesses to form a ring around the couple, while Dalli told the two what they each had to say. That done, Genis faced the young woman he'd fallen in love with the moment he'd set eyes on her. "I, Genis Sage, vow to Presea to always stand at her side, to cherish her until the end of my days."

The rose haired girl gazed back, her face filled with joy as she replied.

"I, Presea, take on the name Sage, and vow to Genis to always stand at his side, to cherish him until the end of my days."

As the two continued to hold hands, Verius brought the little ceremony to its conclusion.

"As we stand here in witness, Genis and Presea Sage are now husband and wife. May they have many happy years together."

Immediately after this the new couple were mobbed, as happy laughter rose up into the starry sky... But it was not to last, for merely an hour later... dark and urgent news was to reach them...

-

**Alaia Skyhawk: Duh nuh nuh nuh! Action, suspence, fluff... and now a cliffhanger! This chapter has it all! ONWARDS TO THE NEXT ONE!**


	92. Fight for Royal City

**Alaia Skyhawk: Hehehehehee, the title says it all! Of all the people who have watched my intro vid for Path of Restoration, I think all but my closest friends on the site have failed to spot just what city it is burning at 1:20... Yup guys, this chapter has been planned since before February 2008 XD**

**Also to the Anonymous Reviewer... Fate loves you, I have something planned. Maybe not what you might be thinking, but I can pretty much guarantee it'll be liked by you and your sister... Hehe, I've only had the scene written since I was still writing Prequel, lol. XD**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr Who 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 92: Fight for Royal City

-

They were just preparing to settle down to sleep for the rest of the night when the messenger arrived, flying into the protected grove on golden wings which had beat so fast as to be a blur...

Everyone got to their feet, dread seeping into every pore as they took in the expression on the messenger's face. The jiisumura was panting from exertion, and clearly a youth barely into adulthood if their reaction to the message they carried was enough to leave them shaking.

"Meltokio is under attack! The angels came out of nowhere, thousands of them, and they are laying siege to the city as we speak! Narim Kratos ordered that you be informed, and to also inform you that he is assembling a force as quickly as he can manage it to push back the attack."

Vayla's expression hardened as long unused experience, from a war long ago, brought deathly calm sweeping over her. Her voice as she spoke held no edge of any emotion she might have been feeling beneath composed front.

"Get yourself to home and stay there, you're in no condition to help the city any further. Go home and rest, and gather yourself should you be needed later."

"Wait!"

Everyone turned, as an anxious and angry Zelos strode through the group of friends to stand before the messenger. He turned to Vayla.

"I know you were probably going to say we stay here where it's safe, but I'm not going to do that." He flung an arm out in the general direction of Meltokio. "_My sister is in that city!_ I'm _going_ to go there to help protect it, and if I go then it's a pretty sure bet that Lloyd will go... And if he goes, we _all_ go." He folded his arms, agitated. "There are six in our group who can't use the Sentinels to travel, but only five who can transport someone through. If we go then we need our messenger friend here to give one of those who needs it a ride."

A figure in a silver edged reta came forward, Lloyd standing steadfast beside the Tethe'allan Chosen.

"He's right, Vayla. I consider Zelos a brother, which makes his sister family to me as well. Nothing matters more to the Alurannai than family, and this situation is no different... I know it may not be the wisest thing to do, but I'm going to pull rank on this." He turned to the jiisumura. "As Inartu of the Alurannai, I ask you aid in transporting those of this group who cannot do so on their own through the Tree Links to the Meltokio Sentinel. Once we have arrived, you are to do as Vayla instructed and go to your home and rest."

The young jiisumura bowed his head as a rather unhappy looking Vayla remained beside him.

"I will you as you ask, Inartu Lloyd. May the Spirits watch over you in your endeavour."

The moment the words were out, Zelos slipped over to him and tugged the startled alurannai towards the exit of the grove.

"Then let's get moving. Time means everything, especially if things are as bad at the city as the message implies. The others can catch up with us."

The pair disappeared through the arched opening where the stream from the spring flowed out of the grove, Vayla watching them go before murmuring in concern to the youth who had just set this in motion.

"Be aware of what you're doing, Lloyd... You're throwing yourself into Yggdrasil's firing line, rather recklessly I might add. If anything happens to you then..."

A shape wave of Lloyd's hand silenced her, as he gritted his teeth.

"Do you really think this happening is a coincidence? We escape from Derris Kharlan and hours later a major human city is attacked. Yggdrasil is out for revenge, and what better way to get it on a people he can't find than by lashing out at the lives of the innocents we've been working so hard to save from him? I may have only seen him twice, but those two times have taught me that he places no value in the lives of the people of these worlds. If slaughtering them all will get him the revenge he wants, then he'll do it..."

The alurannai woman flinched, indecisive for a moment before with a pained expression she looked away with a shuddering breath.

"...I hate to admit it, but you're right. Yggdrasil is utterly insane, and our escape was what probably enraged him into acting out like this. We're partly responsible, so we need to do what we can to deal with it... We'll go, but as a compromise you are to stay with me at _all times_. Is that clear?!"

With a determined nod Lloyd then turned to the group, a fist clenched.

"You heard her, let's get moving. Grab your weapons and let's go!"

He headed for the exit, everyone else hastily grabbing weapons and following. During this Vayla remained where she was, stopping a certain mage with an outstretched hand as he was about to pass her. When he looked at her in confusion, she ran a finger over her ver and called forth a long plain staff.

"Use this... If you use your kendama before I've had the chance to reinforce it, you'll only break it with your new strength. This staff is built to be used by someone as strong as you now are. I know it's not a weapon you're familiar with, but it will have to do." She let out a small snort as she then began to lead him out of the grove. "The best tip I can give for using it, on such short notice, is if anything that wears a Cruxis insignia and has wings comes near you... hit it as hard as you can with that thing."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The gasp of horror came from them all, all of them staring in disbelief despite being warned what to expect. Hordes of angels filled the sky above the city, bolts of light raining down in bursts upon the panicked populace. Fires were beginning to rage in some places, plumes of smoke rising skywards much like the distant screams reaching their ears.

The group said nothing, everyone breaking into a run as Vayla hid their approach using an illusion. Outside the city walls hundreds of people had attempted to flee only to be cut down by deadly light, those lucky enough to be behind them gaining enough warning to turn back and seek shelter instead. That retreat was being covered in a handful of places by what would no doubt confuse the population even further. Angels were raining death upon the city, and yet there were also 'angels' warding off some of the attacks.

The city's small number of previously hidden Crystal Users were out on the wing, deflecting bolts of light while herding the citizens towards the larger sewer entrances throughout the city as best they could. A handful of alurannai were also present, doing the same thing and occasionally knocking those angels that came too close out of the sky. Meanwhile, all around them, chaos reigned.

Vayla dropped the illusion, conserving her strength. No sooner than she had done so, than the single Crystal User not currently herding people dropped out of the sky to land beside her.

Sanaro was streaked with blood, some of his armour missing making it clear he'd taken a hit or two.

"I knew you'd come, for one reason or another. My fellow Crystal Users are doing the best they can, but we can't be everywhere. We need help!"

She put a hand on his shoulder.

"Kratos is organising the force right now, but with the Alurannai scattered about two worlds assembling something with the capability of dealing with this takes time, even for him. If they teleport here unprepared, they'll be slaughtered. The question now is, what can _we_ do to help?"

She gestured to the group, who were all holding weapons at the ready. Sanaro thought for a moment, before pointing to each of them in turn.

"Noishe, I need you to come with me and help me get the king and his daughter to safety. They're holed up in the lower levels of the castle at the moment, but they won't be safe there for long if this keeps up. Lloyd, Sheena, Vayla, Mezo, I need you to help the Crystal Users shield the people and guide them to shelter. Dallinius and Verius, keep Yggdrasil from using the eternal sword any more. It's the only thing that could have got so many angels here so bloody fast, so let's slow down him sending reinforcements. Genis, Raine, Regal, Presea, Collette, help the others lead the people from the ground."

There was scuffle behind them, a crippled angel staggering into view with dead looking eyes. Before it could do anything though, Genis had sprinted at it, reaching it in bare seconds and slamming it with the staff he now held. The angel was crushed between the staff blow and the building beside it, the enchantments on the weapon doing damage a mundane weapon could not.

Seeing Sanaro's shocked expression at the display of athleticism by formerly physically challenged seventeen-year-old, Genis stepped away from the now dead angel laughing a little uneasily; a little freaked out by the mess he'd just made of both the enemy and the wall.

"Ah, yeah... I kinda had a run in with a near death experience and a Cruxis Crystal a few hours ago." He hefted the staff. "Vayla told me that I should just keep an eye out for angels close by and hit them with this if I do."

The knight blinked before regaining his composure.

"Change of plans, you come with me and Noishe. No offence but untutored brute force like that is _not_ what you want around a mass of panicking civilians. You can come help me move the king and his daughter; the upper levels of the city will be empty enough by now that you needn't worry about accidents too much."

He spread his emerald wings, about to take flight once more but for his former student stopping him.

"Where's Celes?"

Sanaro regarded Zelos, his expression reassuring.

"She and Sebastian are already sheltering in the sewers. Moving them into Gaea's old office underneath the Noble's District was one of the first things I did after the attack started."

Zelos sighed, relieved.

"That's good to here. I'll go check to make sure there's no one else still stuck in the upper levels. I know those streets like the back of my hand, and there are places up there your agents might not have checked yet where people will be hiding."

He ran off, leaving the rest of the group to split up as well. Each to their own task, they could only hope help from Kratos would arrive soon.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Her section of the city was clear, the angels' barrage now falling on empty buildings and streets. The fury in her heart right now was much like that falling light... a deadly fire that would soon strike with explosive force.

Her blue-violet feathered wings bristling, Gaea streaked through the sky towards a 'flock' fifty angels, a tiny number given there must have been several thousand of them attacking the city. She may have played at being indifferent about being here in this place, at being an individual who had helped out because she had nothing better to do, but in truth she'd done it because she'd cared. Now the place she protected in secrecy was being ripped apart around her, and she seriously ticked off.

Her icy blue eyes narrowed, lighting mana beginning to rage around her and she bore down on her targets to unleash the result of twenty-seven millennia of experience as a lightning mage.

"INDIGNATION JUDGEMENT!"

The angels didn't react to the shout, the soul'ed angel among them barely giving her a glance, after all that spell was one that only worked at ground level wasn't it?

Purple light exploded outwards from the heart of the cluster of attackers, a perfect spell circle forming around them mid-air. The soul'ed angel among them went wide-eyed in shock, before the bolt of sword-shaped lightning ripped through him and the after shocks charred his flock to ashes.

She plummeted away from the spell circle, vanishing from sight amid the chaos before rising upwards again once she was sure her aerial attack had not been noticed. It was just as she was about to unleash another 'ground' lightning spell up in the sky when her targets vanished into an immense ball of fire.

She turned, eyes taking in the most welcome sight she'd seen in a long time. Twenty-four Alurannai coteries, twelve hundred individuals strong, teleporting into position in unison to form a ring of disk-shaped formations surrounding the city and its attackers. Mana generated by the alurannai crackled in visible waves from the outer edges of those disks to the primary caster in the centre of each, spells the likes of which few ever bore witness to ripping through the sky to send dead and crippled angels raining to the ground.

She muttered under her breath.

"It's about bloody time they got here!"

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The arrival of over a tenth of the alurannai population marked a turning point in the battle, but one that was not necessarily good for those in the city. Realising they were extremely vulnerable at their high altitude, the angel forces that had survived the initial onslaught descended to fly barely fifty feet above the rooftops. Over the next hours, with their targets now so close to the city and the innocents in it, the Alurannai were having to pick their targets and spells carefully as there were far too many people in the city to protect with Allied Sanctuary. The angels crippled by that first strike were also proving a big problem; soulless survivors walking through streets dragging shattered wings, leaving only death in their wake for any who should cross paths with them. The Crystal users formerly concerned with blocking spells from the air were now forced to the ground to deal with the new threat, horrified civilians watching as these opposing sets of 'holy beings' cut the crippled others down wherever they were found.

Panting from exertion as she braced herself on a wall, Raine looked on as Presea's axe felled one of the latest of the grounded angels to cross their path, several more shambling towards the pair as they stood trying to regain their breath. Most of the population was now crammed into the sewers, cowering in the filthy tunnels as the city shook above them, but those above were beginning to tire with Raine and the young axe wielder included.

Presea began to back up, barely able to lift her weapon as she staggered towards the healer.

"We must withdraw to safety. To stay here is certain death..."

Raine looked at the rest of the dead-eyed angels advancing towards them, taking the rose-haired girl by the arm to help her carry her massive axe. The angels were only moving slowly, shambling onwards blankly, but it would be fast enough given how tired they both were.

"I'm not sure we're going to get a chance to. There's nowhere for us to go to without leading those things to the civilians."

"Then it's just as well your knight in shining armour has arrived!" Zelos came racing down the street with a bundle of obviously salvaged sword on his back, his normally immaculate clothing covered with soot and dirt and his red hair just as bad amid its tangles. He stopped beside them, grinning cheerfully. "Miss me, hunny?"

Taking in his disgustingly un-exhausted state, Raine pointed at the angels.

"I won't if you don't _do_ something about those! Quit flirting and deal with them!"

He faked a wince.

"Ouch... I am once again rejected by a beautiful woman. Please excuse me while I deal with these uninvited guests." He pulled three swords from the bundle on his back, the two women only noticing then that the sheath on his belt was empty. "Six angels, three swords should do it...Man I'm gonna have to get Lloyd's old man to give me a _proper_ one after this. I'm going through these puny things like crazy and these things are supposed to be spelled against breakage..."

He drew the first sword, reaching the first angel in a blur of speed that shocked Presea and Raine. The angel crumpled as the sword shattered, the remainder of the hilt getting thrown into the face of the next with enough force to slam the angel into a nearby building. The remaining four angels went the same way, felled by two more now wrecked magical swords.

As Zelos dropped the three empty sheaths, Raine breathed with realisation.

"Zelos, have you done what I think you've done?"

He shrugged, spreading a pair of orange segmented wings.

"Yeah, I went and took my Crystal from the cathedral and used it... Do you blame me?"

Raine shook her head, the three of them moving off to find safe shelter as Zelos took hold of Presea's axe and slung it over his shoulder as if it weighed no more than a feather.

"Not at all, in fact I'd go so far as to thank you for actually having the wits to do so."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The robed man and his daughter clung to the green and white fur of their most unusual steed, the emerald and turquoise wings of the pair in escort glittering either side of them. Sanaro and Genis had arrived at the castle to find that the guard's wing had collapsed, burying the entrance to the bolthole the knight had hidden the two royals in. Genis' new brute strength had gotten a workout after that, he and Sanaro shifting almost a hundred tons of stone and mortar over three hours to clear a path to where the pair cowered. Thankfully the spells Gaea had added to the bolthole after she and Sanaro had left the king and Hilda there had protected it from being crushed by the collapse above. It was small comfort thought when the lost time resulting from the collapse meant you were now charging across a huge open plaza with no cover, and a horde of angels homing in on you from above.

Sanaro cursed, flipping to face upwards and send a spray of fire bolts into the mob of angels above.

"Dammit! Level two spells are my limit and they're almost useless here! Genis, can you do anything about them? Noishe can't cast while he's running!"

The seventeen-year-old grimaced, clutching the staff he still held with a white knuckle grip.

"I can cast without my kendama, but I'm not as accurate. I'll do my best but don't expect anything spectacular; I've never cast while flying before."

Mana began to gather around the mage, the pair on Noishe's back looking over their shoulders fearfully, his eyes closed and his mind focused with such concentration that the princess's shout of warning was noticed too late.

Genis slammed into one of the plaza's many statues, tumbling dazed to the floor in a tangle of blue wings. The angels above saw the moment of weakness, sending bolts of lightning streaking towards the new Crystal User. Genis only just saw it coming, barely hauling up his Force Field technique in time to deflect the blasts.

Noishe darted to the base of the statue, crouching to make the two royals get off before casting a shield over them and the still disorientated half-elf. He and Sanaro then faced their winged attackers, the latter drawing his sword.

Sanaro's emerald wings bristled, as he launched himself upwards with a yell.

"No one gets to them without going through me first!"

He hacked his way into the pack of angels, Noishe circling frustrated below firing off what spells he could into the mob. One by one the angels began to drop dead to the floor, but the pace slowed rapidly, until it wasn't one of them that fell, but Sanaro.

The knight grimaced as he forced himself upright, a gash across his midriff glowing green as he began to use what little healing arts he knew to close it. He was a sitting duck, and so was the land-bound Protozoan and those beneath the shield.

The angels hovered above with dead eyes looking down almost tauntingly as Noishe snarled in impotence, the Arshis half crouching as if he were going to try leap up among them.

**Damn it to the Underworld! You bloody pigeons better be glad I can't fly or I'd rip you to bloody pieces!!!**

Sanaro began to drag himself towards the enraged Protozoan, a strange feeling of de-ja vu coming over him.

"Noishe, take the King and Hilda and _run!_"

Another angry snarl roared from that fanged maw, Noishe thrashing his head in refusal.

**I won't leave you to die! I won't!!!**

It was like a shudder in the air, Noishe's despairing howl keening across the plaza before cutting off mid screech. The Arshis became indistinct, blurring further until a cloud of mist was all there was where he'd been stood.

Sanaro looked on, an expression of shock turning into a dawning smile when he realised what had just happened in the heat of this battle.

"I think those angels had better run... They just lost their height advantage..."

The mist condensed, a long slender neck lifting upwards so that the graceful, green-marked head could bare its mouth full of teeth above a mantled pair of bright green wings. Noishe crouched as he had done moments before... but this time he was equipped for what was to follow.

**NOW YOU'RE IN FOR IT!!**

Dead angels began to rain down, the green and white fenrilra cutting through them like a scythe of claws, teeth, and magic. When he finally landed a few minutes later, splattered with blood, Sanaro was still smiling.

"Just like old times, you end up saving me once again."

Looking up at the sky he could see it starting to clear. The angels were beginning to retreat; the superior power of the alurannai coteries proving too strong to oppose now that their forces had been decimated. What remained now was see what was left of the city and it's people... and come up with a way to explain to them what had just happened...

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: WOO HOO! That was AWESOME to write! I hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'll go start working on the next one now :D**


	93. Abducted

**Alaia Skyhawk: Me thinks people liked the last chapter lol. Here's the next one, and it LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG! :D**

**Also, Arisu, the line of evolution for Protozoans is Protozoa, Aquan, Aeros, Arshis, Fenrilra, THEN Human lol. Noishe is now a furry dragon-shaped thing with bird wings XD**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr Who 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 93: Abducted

-

The task had been monumental...

Dazed and shell-shocked civilians slowly filtered out of their sanctuary in the sewers of the city, coming out into streets to see a sky devoid of all winged beings. The streets themselves had been cleared of all angel corpses with those of the city who had been killed left in rows, wrapped in white shrouds just outside the city's southern wall. Fires had been put out, blood seared from tile, wall, and paved ground by magic. The only traces of the battle were now the shattered buildings, the dead, and the haunted faces of the survivors.

Lloyd walked slowly across the plaza just inside the city's main gate, coming to a stop beside the newly evolved Noishe. He'd sensed when it had happened through their Bond, but still it had been a shock for him to see his close friend soaring down out of the sky some hours before to land beside him. The rest of his friends had slowly begun to gather, most retreating inside a nearby surprisingly intact inn to rest. Outside, as the sun passed zenith, the Alurannai had begun the cleanup to remove everything they couldn't let the people of the city see or get their hands on. The removal of the blood splattered here and there had been an afterthought, when at Vayla's suggestion it had been agreed it would lessen the trauma on the survivors if it were gone. The twenty-four coteries had left now, the angel corpses long since vanished from where the huge scorched circle outside the city showed where they'd been piled then destroyed. The tally when they'd been counted had shocked them all... Here, in the battle at this city, almost two thirds of Cruxis' angels had been killed. Yggdrasil had thrown away just over eighteen thousand of his twenty-seven thousand angelic followers, and for what? Revenge? Something deep down made him feel it might not really have been for something that simple.

Noishe nuzzled his arm, the young Nartu leaning against the fenrilra's green-furred shoulder. Something just didn't feel right, but right now they had other things to worry about. What in the name of the Spirits were they going to tell the people of the city in order explain all this?

Lloyd twitched, as an eerie feeling crawled up the back of his neck. Thinking it was something that was a threat, he was about to shout out in alarm when Noishe stopped him.

**Vayla's just cast an Amplify Spell. It's used to project voices over large areas, so she must have come up with something to tell the people.**

_People of Meltokio, hear the words of the Chosen of Tethe'alla..._

Lloyd looked surprised, stepping away from Noishe.

"Zelos?! Why's he the one speaking?"

Noishe tilted his head, unfazed.

**Let's listen and find out.**

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The redheaded Chosen stood the raised podium just outside the cathedral, the plaza beside it filled with what remained of the city's clergy, the king and his daughter, and those highly ranked administrators that had survived and come at his summons. They looked upon him with awe as he stood there, his sister and Vayla stood on the ground below him where the faint glow of his orange wings cast light upon their hair. Of the highest-ranking members of the Church, none had survived the attack; their dash into the open plaza after the attack began during dawn prayers resulting in them taking them obvious targets for the opening assault. The lower ranking members, forced to let those more powerful than them leave first, had in fact been saved by that act of selfish self-preservation. It worked well for Zelos though, because it meant that there was no one left who would refute was he was about to say.

His first words echoing across the city, he paused for a moment before continuing, his expression grave.

"People of Meltokio, I speak to you now to tell you of why this has happened this day. Long have the leaders of the Church of Martel coveted personal power, personal gain. Long have they courted the favour of the wealthy and shunned the poor, turning away the needy from their doors and casting darkness upon those they deemed not worthy of salvation. The poor were cast aside, those half of elven blood treated like slaves or as nothing more than vermin to be chased away or killed. These things have deeply saddened the sleeping Martel, and at her tears of despair the Angels have exacted their punishment."

A chorus of shocked murmurs rose from among the crowd, the king and his daughter alone the only ones in that mass who knew the truth; having helped Zelos come to this solution. One of the priests came forward, a twitch of Vayla's finger indicating she has shifted the spell so that the city would hear his question in addition to the Chosen's reply.

"But why punish the whole city?! Why punish us all for what they have done?!"

Zelos looked saddened, as thought he gazed upon a child who had as yet not realised what it was they had to learn.

"The Church Leaders may have committed the initial sins, but it was the _people_ who stood by and let them continue. Long have the citizens of Tethe'alla condoned the maltreatment of half-elves, long have they stood aside refusing to help those poorer than they are. I, Zelos Wilder, became an angel this day so that I might speak for Martel and give her words of guidance to the people."

"But what did she say? Why has she done this?"

Zelos bowed his head.

"The Angels are her children in spirit, and oft children may act out in error in defence of their parent. The Angels, angered by the tears that we mortals had made her shed, ordained that a lesson be cast upon us. That is why the Alurannai came in our defence, called forth by the pleas of the Goddess to stop her children from continuing in their enactment of that lesson just as I was called upon to don my Cruxis Crystal in her service. The Angels have now returned to the Holy City in the heavens, to shed their own tears of woe at their misjudgement of her will." He looked at them again. "They have also ordained... that I shall be the final Chosen to guide the people of Tethe'alla."

The shouts that rose from the crowd were full of fear and denial, some people on the verge of panic.

"They are abandoning us!"

"We are forsaken!"

"_Silence!_" His word cut the cries off like a knife, wide eyes looking at him once again. "We are not forsaken... The Goddess will awaken soon, her blessings breathing true life back into the world and restoring its true form. When that time comes the Angels will depart from our world, for the place beyond the heavens that even they have yet to tread. She has bid that the lesson exacted here today be their final one, and that from henceforth we are strong enough to walk the path of the Restored World on our own. The Angels are the children of her spirit, as we are the children of her heart; and just as mortals must one day set their children to walk alone, so must she. But she will forever watch over us, smiling upon us from afar, a proud Mother to us all." He pointed out over the city, as Vayla ended her spell. His words would hopefully be all the cover they needed to keep the truth from being discovered. "Now go, go among the people. Remember the lesson that has cost us so much this day, and remember to see all lives as equally worthy of salvation. As is said in the Scriptures: 'Martel, Goddess of Light and Hope, she who cherishes all life and looks upon all with equal favour.' All people are loved by Martel, so all are to be treated as such lest we make her shed tears once again."

The crowd of surviving clergy and administrators disbursed, moving out as told into the city to begin bringing order back to the confused populace. Once all of them had gone, the king walked over as Zelos jumped down from the podium and retracted his wings. There was open admiration in his eyes when he spoke.

"That was excellently done, Zelos; if I had not known better I'd never know that everything you just uttered was a complete lie."

The redhead bowed, acknowledging the compliment.

"I thank you, Your Majesty. I should think my acting skills were excellent, especially since I've perfected them over the near twenty years I was hounded by your half-brother." He grimaced. "When you're faced with being made a puppet if you deviate, you learn pretty quickly how to create a convincing front."

Vayla came to stand beside them, an eyebrow raised.

"Speaking of which, where did Kartoffel end up? Where was he evacuated to?"

The king cleared his throat.

"He wasn't..." All eyes turned on him as he continued. "The dungeon he was in is located under the Guard's Wing, not far from where my daughter and I were hidden. Once the attack was over, your friend Sanaro elected _not_ to dig him out from under the rubble. I agreed with him, and the damage to the castle can be easily explained away by the fact that the Guard's Wing was the only section damaged. It must mean that the Angels knew he was there, and exacted their punishment on him just as they did upon those of the clergy killed on this plaza."

Celes' voice rose from where she now sat at the side of the podium, the young woman visibly exhausted by what she'd been through in the past hours.

"You are a harsh man, Your Highness, to speak of their deaths with so little care."

The king sighed, his eyes solemn.

"My half-brother was already facing execution for his treason, only his continuing trial delaying that fate. As for those who died on this plaza, I have seen those individuals treat others less fortunate with contempt so often that I find no reason to pity them now. Your brother has already made it clear to me that as the final Tethe'allan Chosen he will gradually dissolve the Church. It is a system that has created conflict for too long, and perhaps with what happened here the dissolution of it will be easier to achieve. Those who take up the positions once held by those now dead will be carefully picked, with myself nominated by your brother to select and place them. If you stand by me in this as a visible sign of his support of my choices, then perhaps together we can make it easier for him to achieve that goal in the future."

Celes looked at her brother, a brother whom this was the first time she'd seen in several years; a brother who she knew had endured such suffering and sacrificed so much to shield her from the Church.

"I'll help... For the sake of the future you hope to create, I'll do everything I can to see it hap..."

**Vayla!**

She was cut off as Vayla and Zelos flinched, the pair hearing the urgent shout that she and the two royals were unable to. Recognising the 'voice' as being Lloyd's, Vayla called out in reply.

**What is it, Lloyd?**

The next few words froze her to her soul.

**The jiisumura still in the city just reported to me, after I asked them to find and tell Collette to meet us all near the main gate... There's no sign of Collette anywhere! She's missing!**

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"I can't believe we were so naive! That attack wasn't out of revenge; Yggdrasil knew Celes was in that city and that because of Zelos we'd help to defend it!"

Vayla's expression was hard, as she and the rest of the group charged through the narrow valley that led to the secondary exit they'd used to escape less than a day before. The alurannai woman's message to Kratos, saying Collette had been abducted, had been met by a flurry of mental cursing and the immediate dispatch of enough alurannai to transport those needing it back to the edge of the Kharlan Grounds. Yuan had been waiting for them there, beginning to explain as they ran that it took a number of hours to set up the mana transference for attempting to resurrect Martel, which meant if they hurried they had time to stop it. He also explained that it meant Collette was most likely in the Chamber of the Great Seed, the door of which only opened for those keyed to it, and that the keying was impossible to remove. Kratos was too exhausted from leading two attacks in two days to be of help, and so it fell to Yuan to be the one to open that door, a door that Yggdrasil could not lock him out of.

It was claustrophobic when they entered the passage, descending down to where the tower plunged into solid rock and the tunnel connected to its interior. Inside the tower there was no sign of any guards, but that was little reassurance for the group as Yuan altered the destination on their platform's teleporter panel.

Stepping onto it, he gestured for them to do the same.

"This is only an auxiliary panel, so I can only direct it to the uppermost of the subterranean levels. I'll admit neither Kratos nor I had anything to do with building that part of the Tower, and have only set foot on the lowest level where the Chamber is... Everything in between, I'm as clueless as to what we'll cross paths with as you are."

Lloyd nodded in understanding.

"We'll just make do and take things as they come." They reappeared in a new area, the reddish-purple walls and green stone floor riddled with cracks and dotted with remnants of roots and clusters of moss. He blinked at the stark contrast to the immaculate section of tower they'd been in a moment before. "What the heck happened here?"

Vayla bent down, picking up one section of broken root and taking a closer look at it.

"This root, it's from a Kharlan Tree. I guess the dimensional pole between Sylvarant and Tethe'alla let the Seed link begin linking into the root remnants over in this world as well as Sylvarant. If that's the case, then it's no wonder it's such a mess in here."

They set off, following the ruined passages and searching for a way down to the next level. The roots were everywhere, the mages in the group having to sear them out of the way several times so they could get through. The place was devoid of angel presence, surprisingly so, but then again with Yggdrasil down two thirds on his forces it was likely he'd concentrated them lower down. They kept going, eventually spotting a teleporter panel and sprinting towards it. Those at the front of the group passed over a symbol on the floor, but when Yuan tried to follow his yell of pain made them stop and turn.

Yuan stood transfixed upon the symbol, mana cracking around and through him before he was flung backwards to tumble across the floor. Shuddering, he pushed himself to his knees, his clothes smouldering.

"Damn that Yggdrasil!"

Vayla rushed to his side, checking him over.

"What is it?"

Yuan looked at the symbol on the floor, which still glowed faintly as if in warning.

"It's a type of ward he invented, after he broke his vows to the Summon Spirits. It's works similar to Kratos' seal on Origin, and is based on his life. It appears the ward is keyed to keep me from taking this path, Kratos as well probably, and as long as Yggdrasil lives it cannot be broken even by one of the Sumara Lords. I'll have to find another way down to the Chamber; there are enough cracks in the structure down here that I'll probably luck out and find a way to descend that way. Go on without me, I'll meet up with you later on. Now hurry up and go save Collette!"

Sheena, frowned, turning to the two Protozoans with the group.

"Noishe, Mezo, stay with him. We need him to open the door of the Chamber, so keep him safe, ok?"

**You got it!**

Leaving him there with the Fenrilra and Aeros, the group went to the teleporter and used it, appearing in an antechamber of what seemed to be an underground chapel. Cautiously they advanced across that wide circular room, whose ceiling went up hundreds of feet, the walls sectioned into countless alcove filled balconies. The next teleporter was visible almost right away, set into the antechamber below a decorative platform, opposite the one they'd entered through. Still moving carefully, they were halfway there when the resonant cry of a large bell tolling reverberated through the still air.

Lloyd looked around, eyes searching.

"Wh…what's going on?"

A bolt of light streaked down to hit the floor beside him, the group looking up to see a number of angels flying down towards them.

As he blasted one of the to ashes with a bolt of fire, Genis started to look concerned as more and more of the soulless beings came out of the balcony alcoves above.

"I don't like the look of this..."

Seeing them as well, Lloyd cursed.

"Dammit, there's no end in sight!"

Hearing this exchange, Vayla came to a decision, glancing at Regal who nodded in understanding before the former convict shouted out.

"Make a break for the passage!"

Lloyd, paused for a moment before breaking into a run.

"All right! Everyone, move it!"

The group entering the antechamber with the next teleporter, Regal and Vayla lagged at the back before the former kicked out the pillars supporting the decorative platform, the structure falling to block the door.

Sheena slammed against the rubble from inside, scrabbling at one of the tiny gaps as she tried to see through.

"Myrta!"

Vayla's voice was muffled as she replied.

"Regal and I will take care of things here. You all keep going!"

Lloyd stopped beside his crèche mate, shouting as well.

"You know we can't leave you behind!

Regal's voice reached them now.

"There's no time, you know that! You're the only ones who can save Colette!"

"But I can't just leave my friends!"

Regal's voice was full of regret.

"That's not what you're doing. I…I once wasn't able to protect someone very important to me. So this time, I'm going to succeed. I'm going to protect my friends!"

"Yeah, Lloyd, give the guy a chance to do something he wants to do. We can take care of a few pigeons!"

Lloyd began to back away from the rubble.

"Regal… Vayla..."

"Lloyd, save Colette!"

The young Inartu hesitated one last time, before turning.

"…All right. Regal, don't die! Don't make me go through the same pain you did, you hear me? And you take care of him too, Vayla!"

He ran for the teleporter, a reluctant Sheena and the remainder of the group following as the convict murmured for only Vayla's ears to hear.

"…Heh. You sure don't make things easy, Lloyd. I'm sorry, Alicia. It looks like it's still going to be a while before I join you…" Vayla placed a hand supportively on his shoulder, before the pair looked up at the mass of winged attackers descending from above as the man yelled. "You shall not pass!"

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The rest of the group were now on the next level, charging down a long spiral staircase suspended on a ring of pillars. The pillars were twined with more of the old roots, and some of them were connected to a large suspended section that didn't look dead...

They reached the bottom, turning to cross the bridge that spanned the room's bottom to reach its exit. They were about to step onto it when trailing strands from that section darted out, almost spearing the front members of the group.

Zelos staggered backwards, eyes wide.

"Whoa!"

"This thing won't let us through!"

Sheena stood beside Lloyd, looking up at the roots and the faintly glowing chunk of wood they connected to.

"Hang on, this thing looks like leftovers from earlier."

Genis' eyebrows raised.

"You mean…one of the Giant Tree's…"

Sheena nodded.

"Yep, no doubt about it. Just stand back and leave this to me! Disciple of everlasting ice! Hammer of godly thunder! Servant of Mother Earth! Envoy from the dark abyss! I command thee! Gatherest before me and unleash thine power!"

The four Summon Spirits appeared, nodding in silent understanding of her plan. Power streamed out from them into the alurannai girl, before they vanished again as swiftly as they had come.

Lloyd took a step back.

"Whoa, what are you doing?"

Sheena grinned.

"My impression of the Mana Cannon. Well, it won't be nearly as powerful, but it should be enough to take care of this thing. When I give the signal, run underneath it. Got it?"

"But what about you?"

She laughed a little.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Get ready, here we go!" She held her hands before her, arms places as if she were about to heave some object held in them out towards the twisted roots. Mana gathered between them, the resonant shiver of sound it gave off building before a stream of it flew out and pinned the roots above. "Now!"

Lloyd and the four other remaining members charged across the bridge, Sheena sending out all of the remaining power she had as soon as they were clear. The blast of mana slammed into the chunk of roots, causing it to shrivel before collapsing downwards, taking the bridge out with it. When it was gone, Sheena stood there panting, Lloyd shouting from the other side.

"Sheena! Are you okay? That was amazing!"

She smiled tiredly.

"Yeah, I'm all right. Just don't ask me to do it again, okay? ...Phew.... That drained all my mana, I'm going to rest for just a... Ahh!"

A root suddenly shot up out of the pit in the room's centre, snaking around her ankle and yanking her over the edge, Sheena just managing to grab a trailing root to stop her fall.

"Sheena! Hang on, I'll…" Lloyd spread his wings, but froze when Sheena began to laugh. "Wh…what's wrong with you? Why are you laughing?"

She looked up at him from where she hung.

"I was just remembering the time when you found me again after all those years. It looks like I have a strong affinity for falling into holes."

He moved to take flight.

"Just hang on. I'll be right there!"

She shook her head.

"Don't worry about me. Just hurry up and go rescue Colette. This thing that has hold of me isn't all that strong, I'll get free on my own."

Lloyd could sense her fright, but it was fading as she calmly looked back at him.

"This is not the time to act all tough!"

"I'm not acting. It's just like the last time when I chased you all from the bottom of that pit and I took you on. And this time…I won't miss the main event. You'd better leave me a piece of the action!"

He couldn't pick up anything from her emotions to say she was lying, nothing at all. He sighed and nodded.

"Okay... I'll be waiting for you, you got that?"

The group left the room, Sheena closing her eyes and biting her lip as she used all her will to hide what she was _really_ feeling from her crèche mate.

"…I'm so stupid. Stubborn to the very end… I really need to start acting more feminine at times like this and let him rescue me. …Heh, but that wouldn't be my style, now, would it?" She looked down into the pit. "Here's to hoping this thing isn't as deep as I think it is." She let go, plummeting into the abyss. "Lloyd... good luck..."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Once again they appeared in a chamber, coming out of a passage on one side to see their exit on the other. The exit this time though was sealed with a huge metal door, with no visible way to open it but for the console in the centre of the room.

Raine ran over to it, pressing several buttons before looking up at her brother and the three others.

"It looks like you can control it from here. Leave this to me."

Genis looked around edgy at yet another delay.

"Sis, make it quick will ya. This is taking us far too long. We've been in the Tower for almost an hour, and Collette was taken ages ago!"

She scowled as she continued to press buttons.

"Don't rush me…This is it."

The door opened, revealing another metal door beyond it. The room then began to shake, a section of the floor around the console dropping away to reveal a pit surrounded it.

Lloyd took a step towards her.

"Professor Sage! Are you okay?"

Swallowing nervously, she nodded.

"I'm fine. I just made a minor input error. I'll open the rest of the door, you hurry and go down the passage as they open and I'll catch up."

He frowned, before doing as she'd asked.

"Be careful, okay?"

Her fingers began to fly over the console, as she murmured to herself unheard by the others.

"This is quite an intricate trap..."

The second and third doors opening to reveal a teleporter panel, while her eyes looked after the others as they ran... It was then after a moment's hesitation that she pressed something, causing the first door to begin to close. The whole chamber had begun to shake, the tremors causing the door to jam with only a gap large enough for an arm to pass through remaining.

Genis looked back in horror, sprinting to the door and trying to force it open, shouting through that small opening.

"Sis!"

Raine closed her eyes, expression pained.

"Lloyd, Genis... This room will soon collapse. Hurry up and go!"

Lloyd gaped in shock, horrified as he too joined Genis in trying to force open the door.

"No! I'm not leaving you behind! I don't want to sacrifice anyone, anymore!"

"Sacrifice? When did anyone become a sacrifice?" She smiled, as parts of the ceiling above her began to crumble. "I believe in your ideals... A world that would accept those of us caught in the middle. I believe in your vision of the world. It has become _my_ hope. I came all the way here in order to realise that dream! I've no regrets..."

Genis clawed at the door, desperate tears in his eyes.

"Saving the world won't mean anything if we lose you!"

Raine opened her eyes, tears beginning to well up within them.

"My soul will live on in the world you create, but if you're ideals die, then my hope dies as well. Living on without hope is worse than death, don't you think? If you don't understand why I'm doing this, then use the rest of your life to think about what it means for a person to live! That's my final lesson to you as your teacher. Now go, do as your teacher says."

Lloyd was crying now, though he stopped trying to open the door. Biting back a sob, he took Genis by the arm and pulled him towards the teleporter as the ceiling in the passage began to crumble as well.

"Professor Sage! ...We'll never forget you!"

They ran, leaving Raine alone in the collapsing room; the healer bowing her head to the inevitable.

"The rest... is in your hands..."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

"It's no good, it won't budge!"

It was four tearful friends who stood before the next door, the staircase they'd descended to reach it dotted with fallen tears shed as they'd ran. Once again they were before a locked passage, and once again it fell to one of their number to open it.

Presea pointed to a hatch in the wall, the same wall as that which the door was set into.

"Lloyd, look up there! I may be able to enter the room from there. I'll give it a try."

Still shaken by what had just happened, Lloyd's tone was determined.

"But it's too dangerous to go alone!"

The axe wielder sighed.

"I'll be fine. Besides, I'm the only one here who will fit through there. I'll be careful."

It was with great reluctance that Lloyd and Genis lifted her up into the opening, listening anxiously as they heard the clatter of the cover falling to the floor on the other side.

Genis spread his wings, hovering at the opening and peering through.

"Is everything ok?"

Her slightly muffled voice called back.

"There's a control terminal in here to open the door. I'll access it now."

Inside the room Presea ran across it, hitting the obvious button on its surface to unlock the door. A series of sounds came from the door, indicating that the locks were beginning to disengage, but they weren't the only noise. The passage to the side room containing the next teleporter began to descend, drawing a cry from her as she raced towards it.

"N-No!" She reached it as another sound came from behind her, something lashing around her ankle causing her to fall flat dropping her axe. "Uhhgn! I've almost.. got it..."

Desperate fingers strained for that handle, managing to draw it towards her so she could wedge the weapon between floor and ceiling. She was then dragged back by the root that had grabbed her, more of them snaking out of the hole in the chamber wall the first had come through. She struggled against them, hearing Lloyd's shout as he, Genis, and Zelos came in through the now open door.

"Presea!"

He started towards her, a root coming out of the opening and reaching for him before Presea managed to grab it.

"Stay back! Don't come over here. Please, hurry, go!"

"Presea!"

Genis had to be grabbed by Zelos to stop him charging towards his wife, the redhead pulling his fellow Crystal User towards the narrow gap held open by the audibly groaning axe.

"We have to go! That thing won't keep the way open much longer!"

Lloyd stood there, indecisive, until Presea spoke again.

"Lloyd, you are a kind person, but if you allow your kindness to interfere with your judgement then you are merely weak. You have something you must do. Please, do not forget that. Please go... If you don't, I'll lose my respect for you. I'll be fine, so please hurry!" She looked at her madly struggling husband. "Genis, you must go... If you don't stop Yggdrasil then the worlds will die; that matters more than the both of us, even if it hurt to accept that." Tears welled up in her eyes. "Go..."

"_Presea!!_"

Zelos picked him up, taking a running dive through the gap to the other side.

Lloyd looked at the young woman one last time.

"I'm sorry, Presea..."

He followed after the Chosen, Presea's voice calling after him just before the axe finally gave way.

Once through, Lloyd looks back, still holding onto Genis.

"Lloyd, Genis... Whatever happens you mustn't give up. Stand and fight! I know you can do it!"

The loud grinding thud of ceiling meeting floor held a note of finality, Genis ceasing his struggles to stare at the new wall separating him from the one he loved.

"Presea, I promise! I'll rescue Collette no matter what! And I'll help Lloyd make a world where _everyone_ can live freely!"

The trio stepped on the panel, numbly making their way through the area they found themselves in after. So many... They'd lost or been separated from so many of their friends in such a short space of time, the devastation of it was almost crushing. Only the need to save Collette kept them running, running until they came face to face with an angel blocking the passage to the next teleporter.

The male angel regarded them with derision, idly twirling his large axe as the other brushed imaginary dust of his elaborate white armour.

"I am the Gatekeeper, and by Lord Yggdrasil's order none shall pass!"

Zelos stepped forwards, drawing the reinforced sword Vayla had given him from the spares in her ver.

"Leave this guy to me. Angels like this guy are the reason my childhood was such a joke. I figure it's time for a little payback."

The angel looked surprised, before laughing.

"A mere human thinks he can defeat me alone? What nonsense!"

Zelos spreads his orange wings, smirking as the angel's eyes widened in shock.

"Actually, I figure this is a level playing field." In a blur he rushed the angel, slamming him to one side of the passage so that his friends could pass. "Lloyd, Genis, go! I'll follow you once I give this guy a good spanking!"

Lloyd and Genis ran, as the sounds of sword clashing on axe began to resound behind them. The teleporter took them to a pair of hallways set in the shape of a cross, the panel that was the exit on the point opposite them. Sprinting they headed for it, only to skid to a stop and back up when a barrier formed in front of them.

"Another trap?!"

Genis grabbed him and ran.

"It's coming towards us!" They tried to go the way they came, and then the passages either side, but all were blocked by barriers that moved closer until the pair were trapped in the box that joined the four paths. "It's no good, we're completely surrounded!"

Lloyd turned to face the way they needed to go, his eyes narrowing.

"We'll just have to attack it and _smash_ our way through."

"Is that gonna work?"

Regarding his sceptical friend, Lloyd clenched a fist.

"Dwarven Vow number sixteen: 'You can do anything if you try!' We're dead anyway if we fail. Give it everything you've got!"

Genis smiled weakly above the tears still damp on his face.

"Heh, that's just like you, Lloyd. Ok, let's do it!"

He faced the barrier, as he and Lloyd speaking as they both gathered mana in their hands to blast it with.

"On the count of three..."

"Lloyd..."

The alurannai youth glanced at his friend.

"W-What?"

Genis paused, then shook his head.

"Ah, nothing... I'm ready!"

"Ok... One, two..."

"Three!"

They threw the mana at the barrier in their way, a hole forming that rapidly began to close. Lloyd dashed towards it.

"Now!" He slipped through, the opening closing behind him. "See! Look, it worked!"

"It was ok for one of _your_ plans, Lloyd." He turned, looking back in horror when he realised Genis was still trapped. "The only flaw was that you didn't take into account my lack of physical reflexes. I'm not used to my Crystal yet, so my reaction time hasn't improved that much from it yet. Even if I stood right in front of it, I wouldn't get through in time after hitting it..."

Lloyd ran up to the barrier, pounding on its surface with his fists but unable to make a dent.

"Genis!"

The half-elf dropped to his knees.

"Heh, I messed up."

"You... You did that to get me out?"

Genis shook his head in denial.

"N-no!"

"Liar! You knew it would end up like this! Why did you do it?!"

Seeing the expression on his friend's face, Genis looked at the floor.

"If you'd have been in my place, you'd have done the same thing... You always jump in without thinking to save someone in trouble. But it was that, Lloyd that I looked up to. I wanted to be like you."

Lloyd watched as the mage got back to his feet and walked over.

"Genis..."

The seventeen-year-old smiled at him sadly.

"Now hurry up, before it's too late!"

"No way! I _can't_ leave you behind! Not like everyone else!"

Genis seemed to break down.

"I said go! I'm... not like you. Though I hide it, deep down I'm just a coward! When it comes down to it, I want to start shaking... I don't want you to see me looking pathetic in the end..."

Lloyd hesitated.

"Genis..."

"Go! I said GO!"

That pain filled cry sent Lloyd fleeing towards the teleporter, tears once again streaming down his face.

"You... You _fool!_"

Genis watched him vanish from sight.

"You were my best friend, Lloyd."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

He was alone, all alone and filled with emotional turmoil. They were all gone, his friends. That some, like Yuan and the Protozoans, would still be alive was little comfort. It did nothing to ease the pain in his heart at the thought of those he'd stood helpless to save. Here in the depths beneath the earth, he found himself faltering, losing the will to keep going. What was the point? What meaning did it have now?

He flinched, as a presence touched his mind and soul, sharing in his grief. It too knew the pain of loss, but also knew that as long as life and hope for a future existed, there would always be a reason to go on. The call of the Seed pulled him onwards, that wordless voice telling him to hurry, that it was almost too late.

Lloyd began to run, as renewed determination began to well up inside of him. Dodging the last few traps, simple constructs that fired arrows across the passage, he reached a seemingly blank wall that he _knew_ the Seed was behind. His fingers groped over it, searching for an opening, before touching the hilt of a blade wedged in a barely perceivable crack in that wall.

Mana spread from it, mana that belonged to his father, that touch of power releasing the locks to which it was one of the keys. The wall vanished, a door taking its place. Lloyd ran through that door into the chamber beyond, stopping to stare in awe at the sight before him.

It floated there, suspended above an elaborate cradle, the azure glow of that flower-shaped seed filling the room with a warm light. In the heart of that seed he could see the ethereal form of a spirit, a woman with pale green hair who looked as though she were sleeping... Martel.

About to move again, Lloyd stopped. Around the chamber's upper level was a ring of angel guards, currently stood unmoving as though in slumber but he didn't doubt that they could be called to attack at a moment's notice. He also saw the two figures standing below the Seed, hovering there on crystalline wings, and between them he could see a capsule containing Collette!

Yggdrasil gazed up at the Seed, unaware of the unexpected visitor.

"It is almost time, dearest sister... This body has the closest match to your mana signature. I failed many times in the past, but this time I swear I'll make it work!"

Pronyma glanced at the terminal she hovered beside, taking note of the readings on its screen.

"The mana charge is complete my lord."

"Good. Do it!"

The moment he heard that, Lloyd rushed forward, yelling.

"Let her go!"

The two seraphim turned, Yggdrasil exclaiming in surprise.

"Lloyd! How did _you_ get in here? The lock to this room can only be opened by a member of the Cruxis High Order!"

Lloyd glared at him.

"None of your business! What matters is that your selfish dream ends here!"

The leader of Cruxis sneered.

"A futile effort."

He raised his hand, mana gathering as he prepared to blast the youth before him only to stop when a discordant screech filled the room. The angel guards on the balcony collapsed under the sonic barrage that had the two seraphim covering their ears, their minds blasted beyond saving by the sonic barrage. An azure shield formed over Lloyd, like the one that saved him from the Eternal Sword in the Tower of Salvation those years before. Seeing it Yggdrasil's eyes widened, the distance between shield and source so close this time that the flow of power is visible.

"The Great Seed... is protecting you?!! Why?!"

Lloyd stood there within that shield, eyes hard.

"Because it needs me... I am its hope, its dream of restoring the world's true form. The one it and all the Offspring Races have waited for, for almost four thousand years... This is the end, Yggdrasil! The Giant Tree's prophecy will come to pass, and there's nothing you can do that will stop me from seeing that it happens!"

The two angels stared in utter shock, as the woman of the two whispered in horror.

"_You're the Chosen of Restoration?!_"

Lloyd reached for his swords, preparing to attack.

"That's right... and as long as the Bond exists between me and the Seed, my death will only destroy Martel."

"That's where you're wrong!"

Pronyma, recovering from her shocked stupor, slammed her hand onto the controls of the terminal, mana suddenly beginning to stream from the Great Seed into the capsule holding Collette. The image of Martel began to waver, vanishing as it was drawn away. The shield around Lloyd began to waver, as sweat formed on his face and he gasped in pain. The Seed was starting to die, the transference was killing it, and he could feel it happening!

"N-NO!"

The sensation overwhelmed him, drawing up a rage from inside he'd not known he was capable of. Completely enveloped by anger that changed his eyes near black, Lloyd lunged at Yggdrasil only to be slammed aside by Pronyma. It was then, in that moment of distraction, that Yggdrasil moved to kill him.

Again a hand was lifted, mana gathering, but before the blow could be made another stuck the angel from behind as a familiar voice shouted out.

"We won't let you lay a finger on him!"

Lloyd looked up, the darkness in his eyes fading a little as disbelieving joy began to fill him at what he saw... All of his companions looking down at him, safe and alive...

"Guys! How did you..? You're ok?!"

Sheena grinned.

"I told you I wouldn't miss the main event."

Regal looked down at him proudly, Vayla casually leaning on his shoulder.

"You did not wish to share the same pain I do, correct?"

"Didn't I say a few 'pigeons' were no match for me?"

Raine looked a little roughed up, her clothing covering in dust as she hefted her staff.

"I can't possible miss seeing the new world that's about to be made."

Presea smiled, a new axe in her grip.

"I can still fight. As long as I can fight, I will stay by your side."

Zelos tapped his sword on his shoulder, looking satisfied with himself.

"You should have heard that Gatekeeper guy... He cried like a little girl when I beat the snot out of him."

Genis, the one who had spoken first, lifted his kendama in salute.

"Hehehe, pretty good, huh?"

Lloyd got to his feet, renewed determination filling him.

"Everyone! Alright, let's take him on together!"

Yggdrasil, looked around at the balcony, taking note of the fact all of his guards now lay on the floor gazing blankly, unable to move. Growling under his breath, he spoke to the woman at his side.

"What an irritating lot. Pronyma, kill them!"

A black spear was called forth, and she began to advance on the youth whose friends greatly outnumbered her.

"Y-Yes sir!"

The group jumped down from the balcony, stopping a short distance away when Lloyd raised his and.

"Leave her to me. I have a score to settle with this bitch, for what she did to Andorei Wrau." He walked towards her, eyes narrowed. "I'm not the defenceless little boy anymore, Pronyma. I'm a battled hardened warrior, who isn't afraid of you anymore."

He lunged at her, ducking under her spear as Yggdrasil turned his back on the fight with his mind elsewhere. All those years ago she had looked at this boy with sadistic pleasure at his fear, yet now when faced with his strength her expression turned to fear. She was just a Crystal User, a fairly new one at that, and she lacked the experience needed to make her a match for even this young alurannai. After a frantic few minutes she made the fatal error, one that allowed Lloyd's swords to slash her from shoulders to waist.

She crumpled to the floor, just as the locks on the capsule began to release.

A new sickening wave washed over him, Lloyd staggering as Pronyma crawled towards her lord.

"Lord Yggdrasil... It hurts... Please, help me..."

Lloyd was unaware, his face white as he began to swallow convulsively.

"The... The Seed!"

Yggdrasil's triumphant shout filled the chamber.

"I've succeeded! Martel is awake!"

"Lord Yggdrasil... Mithos, please!"

Hearing that word, Yggdrasil turned and looked down at her in disgust.

"Only my former companions may call me by that name! Get out of my sight!"

In an instant he blasted her with mana, killing the woman who had given him every ounce of devotion and loyalty a person could.

Presea looked horrified.

"That's so cruel..."

The capsule opened, Collette getting up and walking over to Yggdrasil. The group watched frozen, as the girl looked up at angel.

Yggdrasil regarded her with an expression akin to awe, joy in those normally cold eyes.

"Dear sister, you've finally come back to me!"

"No... Collette! It can't be true!"

Lloyd began to sag in Vayla's grip, still shuddering at the pain he felt through his Bond to the Seed.

Collette's blue eyes remained fixed on the angel, but it was not Collette's voice that emerged when she spoke.

"Mithos... What have you done?"

He seemed surprised for a moment, before realising something.

"Martel? Ah, you mean my body. I hastened my growth to have an appearance befitting the leader of Cruxis. Wait just a moment, I'll switch back to my old form."

The flare that surrounded him faded, leaving a boy who appeared about twelve standing in his place. Once again in the form he'd held for over nine hundred years during the Kharlan War, Mithos gazed at her like a hopeful little boy.

Martel shook her head, taking a step back.

"No, Mithos, not that... I've been watching all this time, unable to move, unable to do anything. I _watched_ all those foolish things you've done. Have you forgotten everything? We stopped the Kharlan War because we dreamt of a world where humans, elves, and those in between could live in harmony."

The boy looked confused, green eyes filling with uncertainty.

"What are you saying? This after all the trouble I went to, to prepare a new body for you? But I see, you don't like that one, do you?"

"Mithos, please, listen to me. What you have done... is wrong... It is _not _what we strived for."

The entreaty in her voice did not reach him, as he stared at her in dawning disbelief.

"Wrong? Are you rejecting me?"

Her hands were clasped, her eyes pleading with him to listen.

"No, I want you to remember. Please, stop this, and become your old self again."

He slowly began to shake his head.

"Martel, even _you_ reject me? No... Martel would never say something like that!" He began to laugh, a note of insanity rising within it before he snarled. "I won't allow that, do you hear me!!"

Mana began to rage around him, the chamber shaking and pieces of the structure above beginning to break free and fall to the floor. A blur of dark-blue and turquoise descended from the balcony, Yuan darting to Collette's side and pulling her away from Mithos before he pulled something off her Crystal's mount.

He glanced at the pale, shaking Lloyd.

"You ok, Lloyd?"

Mithos lunged at his former friend, Yuan jumping clear taking Collette with him.

"What are you doing?!"

Saddened blue eyes regarded him full of pain.

"I'm doing what Martel wants me to do... Stop you from continuing this madness."

A voice came from behind, a clearly exhausted Kratos walking in with several alurannai in tow.

"That's right. We who failed to stop you from taking this path, will now correct it by force if that is necessary."

Seeing Lloyd's surprise at his father showing up, Sheena explained.

"Kratos and the Alurannai were the ones who got us out of the traps, and he said he'd jammed the Chamber door open for us when we got that far. They're clearing out the lower parts of the Tower as we speak."

Mithos' expression was savage, as he began to advance on the lightning mage and the girl he held.

"Damn you! Give me back my sister!"

A single tear running down her cheek, Martel spoke.

"Goodbye, Mithos... This is my final wish. Please, return this twisted world back to its original form."

He reached out as if to stop it.

"No! Martel! Don't go!"

Mana began to drift away from Collette's body, the voice of Martel beginning to fade.

"If things were going to end up like this, perhaps the elves should never have left Derris Kharlan. If they hadn't, people like us would never have been born..."

Collette went limp in Yuan's arms, the mana that had left her flowing into the Seed. Colour immediately began to return to Lloyd's face, as he sensed the Seed stop declining and stabilise.

Mithos just stood there, completely lost, before he began to mutter to himself.

"...So... So that was it." He once again began to laugh, insane.. "Martel, you just wanted to leave this filthy world behind, and return to Derris Kharlan. Yes of course, that world is the homeland of all elven blood."

Unnerved by this display, Genis looked uncertain.

"Mithos?"

"Yes, dearest sister... Let's leave these filthy creatures behind and return home together, to Derris Kharlan."

He lifted his arms, the Seed beginning to float upwards as Lloyd shouted.

"Stop him, he's trying to take the Seed!"

Collette's voice reached them next, the young woman steadying herself as she regained consciousness.

"Everyone, we have to stop Mithos, Martel is calling me! She wants us to stop him!"

The angel glared at her.

"Shut up, Martel would never say something like that! You miserable failure!"

Collette took a step towards him, fists clenched.

"She _did_ say it. She was crying! She said 'please, don't make the world suffer any longer!'"

Her words fell on deaf ears, Mithos continuing to lift the Seed up the Tower until Lloyd broke free of Vayla's grip and seized the power of his Bond with it.

Like a rope, mana strung out between him and the Seed, Lloyd bracing himself and bringing its ascent to a halt. Mithos turned to retaliate, but began to back up when the group and the alurannai with Kratos placed themselves between him and their Chosen.

Realising he has no chance of defeating them alone, Mithos snarled and teleports away, his voice echoing in the air.

"Just you wait! You'll pay for this! All of you!"

Silence fell, everyone looking around at each other until Lloyd shakily flew to the Seed as it settled back into the stand that had held it. He tentatively reached out, and touched it carefully.

Kratos looked up at him.

"Lloyd, it is alright?"

Lloyd nodded slowly.

"Yeah, but it's gone almost silent in my mind. It's not talking to me anymore, it was hurt so much by what just happened that it doesn't have the strength to. It's alive, but it's not going to be able to protect me again if Yggdrasil comes after me."

Kratos sighed, indicating that everyone should follow him.

"Then I suggest we leave it here. To move it in these circumstances would no be wise." He headed for the door, everyone following him out. "We must go. You have two more pacts to make, and if Yggdrasil means to make good on his threat then we have no time to waste."

Moments later the chamber was empty, but for the seed that still cast its azure glow within it.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Whew, loooooooooong chapter. This thing took me all day. I hope you guys liked my takes on the various 'death scenes', and also liked the bits I added... Right, now time for me to go take a break. I'm going cross-eyed from so much typing lol.**


	94. Maxwell

**Alaia Skyhawk: Four chapters to go!! So close to finishing! Hmm, might go prep chapter 1 of book 4 after this, I have 90% of that written already lol XD**

**And the tiny whistle finally makes its reappearance! (First and last seen in a very early chapter of Hope.) Seriously, I love the thought of the thing making Yuan cringe even if now in hindsight it does make dealing with soulless angels a tad too easy... then again the soulless ones were mage fodder anyway XD**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr Who 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 94: Maxwell

-

High above the turmoil filled lands below the city floated upon it cradle of mana, a sanctuary for all of part-elven blood who sought a place of refuge from an unforgiving world. The group appeared around the Exire's Sentinel, located on the edge of the collection of interlinked floating islands. Leaving the Tower had been fairly uneventful, just as well for the emotionally and physically exhausted group. They had spent the night in the Heart of the Citadel, sleeping off the events of the past two days in preparation for this next challenge. That exit had been _slightly_ eventful though, when after mention was made of the Seed's song rendering the soulless angels in the Chamber unable to fight, Kratos had pulled a tiny crystal whistle out of his ver. Yuan had cringed at the sight of it, much to Genis and Zelos' amusement until Kratos had blown a firm blast on it when a stray soulless angel had crossed their path on the way out.

Genis, Zelos, Yuan, and Collette had crammed their hands over their ears to protect them from the sound neither Raine, Regal, or Presea could hear, the alurannai and protozoans present unaffected by it. The soulless angel was less lucky, hit by the sonic screech from the whistle it had fluttered for a moment before slumping to the floor and lying there in a vegetative state. Kratos had been quite pleased by the new discovery, which meant only soul'ed angels would be a problem in future, although still a big enough one that planning to would be needed to deal with them... Four individuals were _not_ pleased by it though, the Crystal Users in the group _all_ cringing now at the thought of being subjected to the whistle again in the future.

Yuan and Kratos had now gone ahead to Heimdall, to prepare for the releasing of the Origin Seal. Of the group members only the Protozoans and the alurannai knew Kratos would be risking his life, but they still kept it that way to avoid complicating things by having to explain so close to the end of this mission. It weighed heavily on them, especially Lloyd... If his father died then he'd become Narim at such a very young age.

They set off across the bridge connecting the Sentinel's island to the rest of the settlement, the alurannai escort remaining there until the time came to depart. As they passed over each island and its cluster of houses and vegetable gardens, half-elves came out of their homes to watch curiously as these strange visitors passed. Who where they, why were they here? What would bring such a party, alurannai and Protozoans among them, to Exire?

The murmurs reached the sharp ears of the Crystal Users, Zelos raising an eyebrow as he spoke in an aside.

"These guys know about the Alurannai? They don't seem that surprised by seeing people of a race that was supposedly extinct up until a few years ago."

Vayla glanced at him as they continued on across the next bridge.

"Some of the people of Exire have always known we still existed, usually the mayor and a few others. After the end of the Kharlan War this remained the only real sanctuary in Tethe'alla for half-elves and their families. Maxwell keeps it hidden from Cruxis, and since it's home only to those of his own kind Yggdrasil has never sought it out. It was better for us to be able to move people here freely through the Sentinel in addition to those brought by Rhieard, but the compromise to be made was that those who came here that way were never allowed to leave and never speak of us to others. These days that's no longer a problem, and they may speak freely since we are secret no more. Don't be surprised if a few people recognise me; I've brought a few here myself over the centuries."

Presea looked around at the people already coming out of the houses on the next island; word of them was spreading fast.

"It feels really peaceful here, so quiet, like the rest of the world and its worries can't find a grip on this place."

**It seems like that on the surface, but truth is the people here always worry about the rest of the world. With Tethe'alla's maltreatment of half-elves, even those who escape here fear the place will be found somehow. Many also bear the emotional scars of terrible things done to them by that system.**

Noishe looked a little odd to be walking now, with his now much longer and slender body and its bright green wings folded back along his sides. He seemed more than happy with the change though, and had gone off to fly for a while when the group had been resting. It was also to be noted that as an Arshis these narrow seemingly unprotected bridges would have made him nervous, but now didn't bother him at all.

Gazing back at him, Presea sighed.

"You're right, I only hope these people will be able to truly live without fear in the future."

They arrived at the next island, which was larger than most with almost twenty houses and their gardens upon it. They were partway across when the voice stopped them, a young woman coming forward with wide eyes fixed on Raine.

"Virginia? You came out of your house?"

They stopped, Raine turning to face the speaker with a conflicting expression on her face.

"What? You... You know my mother?"

The speaker brought a hand to her mouth, still wide-eyed.

"_You're_ the daughter she mumbles about? You're Raine?"

She took a step forward.

"My mother is here? Is she alright? And what about my father?"

The woman lowered her hand, eyes darkening.

"She was brought here, alone, by one of the alurannai about seventeen years ago. She was covered in blood, and was wailing about losing her husband and children. Up until now everyone here thought her family was dead."

"My father is dead?"

Looking between the local and the healer, Lloyd put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Raine, if you want to go see if it really is her, go ahead. We can handle the pact with Maxwell without you and Genis. With all that's happened we completely forgot about looking for them, and this is a chance for you to find out what happened."

"I'll go with them as well." Presea took hold of Genis' arm, jolting her husband from his shocked paralysis. "She's my mother now too, so I want to be there."

Vayla stood between them all, solemn.

"Go, Raine, Genis. Like Lloyd said, we can handle Maxwell without you."

Raine smiled faintly in thanks.

"Thank you, we'll be as quick as we can, and meet you back at the Sentinel when we're done." She walked over to the woman who had spoken, Genis and Presea joining her. "Could you show us to where Virginia is living?"

The woman hurried away, the trio following her across a bridge to another island.

Regal watched them go.

"It seems fate wishes them, and us, to find some final closure on things in our lives... before we face our final challenge."

Lloyd began walking again, following as Vayla once again led the way to Maxwell's shrine.

"I think it's better that way. That way, if something happens, we won't have regrets."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The small cottage looked tattered, the vegetable garden outside surprisingly well tended in comparison though. Their guide had left them there, after warning them that the elven woman within the house was not the one Raine likely remembered. Taking that warning to heart, they cautiously approached the door and knocked.

"Come in."

Raine swallowed, recognising the voice that had spoken so brightly. It had sounded so normal, but the sight to greet her within was not normal for the one she'd last seen so long ago.

Virginia pottered about the room within, her expression distant and her blue eyes unfocused. She looked like she was in a dream, one whose content was soon revealed as she greeted her visitors.

Raine hesitated for a moment, beneath that familiar but unfamiliar regard.

"Um, are you Virginia? Someone in the city said you lived here."

A dreamy smile was the response, as the elven woman waved them to sit themselves down in the mismatched cluster of chairs near the hearth.

"Yes, I'm Virginia. Did you come to admire my daughter?" The three of them froze, as the woman moved to a nearby crib and lifted a crude cloth doll out of it. Coming back, she showed them it as she then looked down at it to stroke at string-hair proudly. "Doesn't she have such an intelligent face? Her name's Raine, and she's my pride and joy."

Genis looked at his sister, as a choked sound came from her and she covered her mouth.

"Y-yeah, she really does... Um, do you have any other children?"

Virginia tilted her head, having looked up at him. Once again that dreamy and unnerving smile lit her face.

"Why yes, I have another one on the way. I've already decided on the name; if it's a girl I'll, call her Jean, if it's a boy, Genis. Aren't they simply wonderful names?"

She turned, gently putting the doll back into the crib as her real daughter struggled not to scream out that _she_ was her daughter, not that lump of fabric. Presea put a hand on her shoulder, to calm her down, as Genis thought the situation over and came to a decision.

Walking over to the other side of the crib, he feigned admiration of the 'baby' laid inside it.

"She's wonderful alright. Have her grandparents seen her?"

Virginia blinked, confused.

"I... I don't think so... They live in Heimdall, and I've not been there for so long."

His voice gently persuasive he ignored the conflicting expression on his sister's face, visible from the corner of his eye.

"Maybe you'd like to come with us? We're going to Heimdall later on today, and you could even have your next baby there with your parents. Wouldn't that be nice?"

Those blank blue eyes looked at him, thoughtful, before slowly she nodded.

"...Yes, maybe that would be a good idea. Mother and Father would so love to meet them." She turned, tottering off towards the small side room containing her bed. "...I'll go pack my things."

Presea walked after her, smiling gently.

"I'll help you do that."

Once the two were in the room, Genis walked over to his sister and murmured for her alone to hear.

"I know that was hard to watch, Sis, and it was hard for me to say it, but in Heimdall there's at least a chance Grandma and Grandpa can bring her around. There's no chance of that if we leave her here."

A single tear trickling down Raine's cheek, bit back a sob and nodded.

"I wanted so much for you to meet her someday... but never like this..."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Unaware of the emotional scene happening a few islands away, the group were crossing one last bridge to a small island whose edge was dotted by small trees and whose centre was dominated by a tall rectangular stone slab. There was also a small semi-circle of eight much larger trees, marking the place where eight alurannai had been laid to rest here after sacrificing their lives to protect this shrine... It was a place Vayla had not set eyes on since that day so long ago, when Mithos had worked with the Spirit to lift this city into the sky, and looking at it now she felt a moment's pain at that memory. He'd strived so hard to help so many people, and then had later turned to a path that had only made them suffer...

Pausing at the edge of that clearing, she turned her head slightly to look at Lloyd and her daughter.

"Pick who you would have fight with you, and each of you don one of the pact rings of Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water. Approach the stone when you are ready, and Maxwell should appear."

Sheena frowned at her mother, puzzled.

"You sound like you'd rather we not pick you. Why?"

Vayla sighed.

"Memories... Mithos was the first and only to ever make a pact with Maxwell, although many before had tried. I was there to witness it, saw how much he suffered and endured in order to pass Maxwell's First Test and create this sanctuary for half-elves. If I fought in this battle, I'm not sure I'd be able to remain focused on it."

A hand was placed on her shoulder, Zelos smiling at her as he spoke.

"And it would take a lot of guts to admit what you just have. I'll help my bro and his little sis beat that dude, you can count on me to help."

"I'll help too. Lloyd and Sheena are family to me, they adopted me after all." Collette came up on Vayla's other side, smiling at the taller woman brightly. "Just leave it to us!"

Lloyd chuckled, removing one of his pact rings and passing it to the girl.

"That settles that. When Collette makes up her mind, there's no stopping her."

Sheena laughed as well, passing one of her rings to Zelos.

"Yeah, and the same goes for Zelos. You've seen how protective he is of Celes, so there's no way he's going to let anything happen to me or Lloyd."

Leaving the others standing at the island's edge, the four of them approached the stone and stopped before it as light flared above and Maxwell appeared. He gazed down at them from his floating platform, flipping to a page in his book and writing something there.

"It's has been so many long centuries since last I wrote the name of a Pactseeker in my tome, and today I write two. Lloyd Aurion, Sheena Alysii Targathyr, you are the seventy-fifth and sixth to come seeking a pact with me, and I hope beyond hope you will the second and third to succeed." He glanced at the two Chosens stood either side. "I see you have picked those you would have fight with you, the Rings of the Primary Elements donned as required. If you are ready, then we may begin."

All four of them drew their weapons, the silver light of Allied Sanctuary washing over them at Lloyd's swift cast. He fixed his gaze on the Spirit.

"We're ready."

At those words Maxwell waved a hand, a spell crashing into the spot the four had been standing a moment before. The coordination between them was unspoken, years of fighting side-by-side making them a unified whole against him. Fire and Water, Wind and Earth, elements thrown at them absorbed by Pact Rings as those wearing the correct one protected those who didn't. It was almost the mirror of that fight so long ago, one that forced the Spirit to call on his most powerful attack spell.

Balls of fire streaked down from the skies to pound the area around the shrine, a pure voice ringing out as a golden shield deflected them from the four friends. Lloyd's eyes were determined, as they stared at Maxwell and his voice rang out across the island. Beneath that protection three sets of wings glistened, as dazzling white light surrounded the three chanting casters and their cries rang as one.

"JUDGEMENT!"

Three sets of blinding white rays showered down onto Maxwell, not harming him all that much but certainly giving him pause for thought. As they were about to begin casting again, he raised a hand and stopped them.

"Stay your spells, I yield. I can tell that should this fight continue, your four would have little trouble besting me. I would have you save your strength to face Origin, and not waste it on a fight I know I cannot win." He turned to look at Lloyd, who had lowered his song shield. "You have come a long way, Chosen of Restoration. Fate picked well when it placed our future in your hands. You and Alysii, make your vows..."

"We Vow for the sake of all, to do what we must to restore the mana for the sake of the World..."

"And I know you will keep that promise... Bear my blessings with you, my Rings of turquoise proof of your right to face Origin, and may the fulfilment of the Prophesy finally come to pass..."

The pact was made, the time now come... Only one trial remained and it would be in their grasp... The Eternal Sword, upon which so much now depended.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Three chapters to go!! Dun dun dun DUN! (Goes off to start next one)**


	95. Origin

**Alaia Skyhawk: WingedWithFireyMana, the end part of the first scene is for you... Have had this planned for a looooooooooong time, hehehehe XD**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr Who 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 95: Origin

-

Walking out from under the forest's eaves, the group headed for the gate of Heimdall, one extra person walking among them. It had been a slightly strained looking Genis and Raine who had waited for them by the Exire Sentinel, the reason quite clearly the elven woman stood between them. Even now Virginia babbled on about her 'little girl', and about how eager she was to show her to her parents. Many looks of sympathy had been directed the sibling's way, both for their mother's condition and at the news that their father had been killed all those years before. Many elves recognised her as they gently led Virginia to the home of her parents, and when they saw her they nodded once in understanding to their grandchildren before taking her inside their home. Genis and Raine had gone into their own house after that, Presea going with them, the two siblings clearly wanting time alone.

Watching them go, Vayla spoke.

"I can't begin to imagine how hard that must have been, to talk her into coming here all the while with her oblivious to them being her children. Elves are tough mentally, so for her to be in such a state would mean she'd been treated roughly after sending them through the Otherworldly Gate. The Tethe'allan soldiers pursuing them would not have taken lightly to losing their targets. Would that there be some magical cure for such mental trauma, but unfortunately the only way to deal with it is time and attentive care. She'll get that from her parents though, so with luck she should recognise Raine and Genis before too long. Once that happens, she should be fine."

Glancing between the house Virginia was in, and the house now belonging to her children, Zelos shuddered.

"I hope so. Seeing an elf acting like that is seriously creepy; it's even worse knowing who she is." He looked around. "Where're Yuan and Kratos, by the way? I thought they were supposed to be waiting for us here."

"Narim Kratos has gone into the Torrent Forest, to Origin's Shrine to wait for your group there." A nearby elf had overheard the conversation, walking over as they continued with a raised eyebrow. "As for Yuan Azlarsha, perhaps you should head to the Elder's house. Last I saw he was there with a half-elven woman who had a Summon Spirit, and who was having a rather heated one-sided discussion with him. I'd go so far as to say he was deliberately trying to ignore her."

Sheena swallowed nervously, glancing sidelong at Lloyd.

"Half-elven woman with a Summon Spirit... You think?"

Lloyd groaned.

"What's the bet that he's told her what he has planned for her?"

"More likely he'd told her part of it but not all if she's yelling at him..."

Trying not to cringe as the rest of the group looked at them in bafflement, Lloyd and Sheena led the way to the Elder's house, the voice of a certain irate summoner reaching them before they'd even come into view.

There, stood in front of Yuan practically screaming her head off at him, was Mika... Fiuras watched from a safe distance, perched on the eaves of a nearby porch. Seeing them come into view, Yuan looked a little relieved, that is until Mika spotted them as well and pointed at him in accusation.

"Do you have any idea what this double-crossing spark thrower has done?!! He left a note in my quarters at Flanoir Base, informing me that as soon as the worlds are reunited _he's kicking me out of the Renegades!!_" She kicked at Yuan's shins, though it didn't even make him wince... least not as much as her yelling was as it pounded his sensitive hearing. "After all I've bloody done for him, he throws this at me and says 'it's for my own good'! What good does kicking me out onto the street do, huh?!!"

Yuan, with an expression of long suffering, ran a hand over his face before pointing at the two crèche mates.

"I figured I'd let those two explain the reason to you... After all it was _their_ idea..."

Lloyd and Sheena cringed, as Mika slowly turned to face them.

"What did you DO?!"

The pair took a step back, Sheena averting her eyes from the angry half-elf.

"Well um... You know how everyone in Mizuho was assuming I'd be the next Chief since Iggaguri raised me all those years? Well since I'm alurannai I could never be Chief so um..."

Lloyd picked up where she left off, still wincing at the glare he was getting.

"That time in Mizuho, after the pact with Volt once we found out you were his niece, we asked Vayla to tell him that if he named you his successor after the worlds were reunited we'd get the Greater Summon Spirits, the Sumara Lords, and the Alurannai to all vouch for you. That is we'd support your nomination if the people of Mizuho objected to a half-elf as their next Chief... So you see, he's kicking you out of the Renegades..."

"...So you'd be less likely to turn the offer down..."

Mika was gaping at them, stunned into silence as the instigator of her display of disagreement folded his arms.

"That's why I said it was for your own good... Don't deny you've missed your home all these years, Mika. This is a way to regain all that you lost; call it a gift of thanks from your friends and comrades for all you've done for us."

The Mizuhoan woman began to stutter.

"But... What about... I couldn't... But..." She looked between the two alurannai youths for a moment more before throwing herself at them hugging them tightly. "If I weren't so happy right now I'd _strangle_ you for pulling this stunt! You've no idea how much this means to me!" She put them at arm's length, before directing a sly glance at Sheena. "I'll accept on one condition... Sheena has to stand as Joint Vice Chief with Tiga, and whoever comes to replace him in time, for as long as I'm Chief of Mizuho."

It was Sheena's turn to gape in shock.

"W-what? But I couldn't do that, I'm alurannai!"

Vayla smiled from where she stood.

"Actually there's nothing stopping you from being there in an advisory capacity, it's not against Alurannai Principles, and _I_ certainly see no problem with it. Mizuho isn't really all that far from Aluran in the scale of things, and there's a Sentinel one valley over from it, so there's nothing stopping you spending some of your free time there. Once things settle and your crèche group begins normal lessons, those only take up two days each week. The way I see it, it's good experience for you."

Mika smirked.

"Looks like I win. So are you going to say yes?"

Sheena began to laugh weakly, shaking her head at the situation.

"It doesn't look like I can get out of it. Alright, you accept the place as Iggaguri's successor, and I'll be Joint Vice Chief for you with Tiga when he stands down."

There was a sound of wing beats, Fiuras settling down onto his partner's shoulder.

"Whew, I'm glad _that_ is over. Mika is scary when she throws a tantrum."

Mika grabbed him by the end of his beak, pulling his head to her eye level.

"Say any more comments like that, and you'll find out just how scary I can be." She let go of him, looking around at the village. "Well I guess I'd better ask around for a place to sleep. Lyranve can't take me back to the base until tomorrow, and I'm not about to bother the local jiisumura for the sake of a few hours waiting."

There was a thoughtful pause, before Lloyd plucked at her sleeve.

"If you're here until tomorrow, then come to Origin's shrine with us; it would be great to have you there when Sheena and I make the pact."

Mika smiled, slinging her arms over their shoulders as they turned to head back to Genis and Raine's house.

"Sure, I'd like that."

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

Almost four thousand years... that was how long it had been since a Pactseeker had walked this path...

The group walked through the Torrent Forest, led by Vale Wolf to the fore. Annule had come out of the forest that morning, stating that Kratos had asked him to guide them to the shrine. He seemed unusually quiet compared to the last time they had met a few months ago, and Yuan and Vayla were quiet as well. Even Sheena, Lloyd, and Noishe and Mezo seemed concerned about something, and wondering what that was, was getting to certain people in the group.

Zelos poked Lloyd on the shoulder, frowning.

"What the heck is up with all of you?"

Lloyd sighed, shaking his head.

"It's nothing, just nerves about making this pact. Everything depends on it."

The red-headed Chosen didn't look convinced, and neither did any of the others unaware of what was on those minds. He didn't press it though, something deep down told him it was best he didn't. Instead he dropped back a bit, clearly unhappy. What in the name of the Spirits was going on?

The continued down the forest trails in silence, even the local animals strangely quiet. A pack of Vale Wolves followed them for a time before melting back among the trees, a glimpse of Yiri and her two pups revealing it to be Annule's. The walk seemed almost endless, although it couldn't have lasted more than half an hour, before at last a clearing came into sight.

Kratos knelt there, before a tall stone slab much like that which belonged to Maxwell. He stood up as he heard them, not turning as he spoke.

"And so the time has come... Lloyd, are you ready?"

The young Inartu stepped forward, drawing his swords making Genis blink in shock.

"Wait a sec, what are you doing?"

Kratos turned, eyeing the mage.

"I won't release Origin until I'm sure my son is ready for it. Once released, he _must_ succeed in making the pact or the power of the Eternal Sword will destabilise. If that happens, the shifted phase between the two worlds will begin to degrade, and both could be destroyed. All I require of him is to duel me. If I decide he's strong enough from what he shows me in that duel, I will release the seal." His attention returned to his son, who had stopped a few paces away. He drew Flamberge, and pointed it at him. "Do not hold back, Lloyd."

Lloyd tensed, ready.

"...I won't."

They both lunged as the rest of the group gasped in shock at the ferocity. It almost looked as though they were trying to kill each other instead of a simple duel. Kratos' swings were almost brutal in their force, making the earth shudder beneath their feet whenever his blade struck the ground, cleaving chunks from its surface. Lloyd's were just as powerful, as he blocked and parried and made strikes of his own. He and his father were almost a blur to watch, and it was after one final earth rattling clash that they stood back from each other, panting.

Kratos stood straight, lowering his sword.

"Lloyd... you've grown strong." He sheathed Flamberge, before touching the ver on his left wrist. A sheath appeared in his grasp, and it was then he unclipped his sword from his belt, tossing both to the surprised youth. "Dirk made the second blade, Vorpal, as a sign of his faith and pride in you. The other, Flamberge, it a sword that served me well throughout the Kharlan War... May it serve you as well as it has served me."

He turned away to face the stone monument, while Lloyd replaced his old swords with those he had just received. Lloyd then looked up to regard his father solemnly, as Yuan walked forward to stand close to the Narim.

Unable to take the strange attitudes any longer, Zelos sighed in exasperation and waved his hands.

"What the heck is going on here? You're acting like you're going to someone's funeral!!"

"That's because if this doesn't work... you will be..." All eyes fixed on Kratos, who now had his hand pressed to the tablet. "Like the ward Yggdrasil used against Yuan in the Tower of Salvation, the Origin Seal cannot be released so long as there is mana in my body... I must purge my mana, that is effectively _die_, to break it." He turned his head slightly, to glance at his long-time friend. "Yuan will be transferring some of his own mana to me as soon as mine is purged. However there is a chance it will not work, and if it doesn't, I _will _die..."

Raine took a step forward, disbelieving.

"Wait, you can't seriously mean that this could...!"

Her words were cut off, as Kratos spread his wings and threw his head back. Mana poured from him, as his face turned deathly grey. When it stopped he staggered, falling backwards only to be caught by Yuan. Mana blazed around the half-elf, flowing from his hands into the man he cradled. Time seemed to stop for a moment, as Kratos lay there utterly still, until after what seemed like forever he coughed weakly and opened his eyes, colour returning to his face as his body began to generate mana to replace that which he had lost.

He struggled back to his feet, Yuan supporting him as a veil of light began to ripple over the tablet then shatter like glass.

Ethereal wind circled the clearing, the tablet beginning to glow before in a flare of light a figure appeared in the air above it.

Blond hair framed a warrior's face, his eyes closed as four folded arms dropped to his sides and those eyes opened to reveal they were crystal blue. Looking around slowly, the Spirit regarded the gathering before him as his eyes then settled on the man who had just released him.

"Inartu Kratos, explain to me just why you are here. I know that he who was vouched for by you and your people... has betrayed me. Why should I trust you now?"

There was anger in those eyes, eyes that had remained closed in slumber since before the Betrayal. He knew not what had happened, and now he was demanding answers.

Still regaining his breath from his brush with death, Kratos looked up at the Sumara Lord.

"Origin, I know your heart must be filled with pain at the betrayal of the vow made to you, but now is not the time for anger. I am now Narim for my people, Breuntas having sacrificed himself in protecting the Great Seed from destroying itself. There is far to much to explain in this urgent time, we need you to trust us and lend to us your power in order to put right that which went wrong so long ago."

Origin frowned, not convinced.

"I have slumbered for almost four thousand years while my power was abused by my betrayer, and I was kept that way that by _you_... Alurannai or not, Narim or not, I cannot bring myself to believe you."

"Origin, you were kept asleep because the time had not come!" The Spirit turned, eyeing the youth in the azure reta before him as Lloyd continued earnestly. "If you had awoken the worlds would have been destroyed, as they will be soon if you do not agree to let me face you to make a pact. Don't you see, the time of the Giant Kharlan Tree's prophecy is here! I am the _Chosen of Restoration!_" Lloyd's eyes were pleading. "Please, don't make all we're suffered and endured be in vain. Our efforts and our struggles, and the faith placed in us by your fellow Summon Spirits. Don't let the unity of the Offspring Races falter now, not when we're so close to ending this."

Sheena came forward now, the sight of the set of nine Pact Rings she also wore causing Origin to raise an eyebrow.

"Lloyd and I are only children, and yet though will and determination to save the two worlds and Restore them we've done what only one summoner before has done... We've completed your First Test, and earned the right to attempt a pact with you... Would you refuse us that right?"

The Spirit gazed down at them, with a hint of wonder in his eyes.

"Two alurannai... so young... have passed my First Test purely for the sake of others." He nodded. "Very well, I shall place my trust in the force that is the untainted innocence of youth; place it in the bond of trust you share." He called forth his weapons, two each of sword and double-ended spears. "Choose those you would have fight beside you."

Lloyd and Sheena glanced at each other, nodding, before they stepped forward and drew their weapons.

"No one, just us..."

The Spirit blinked in surprise.

"Only you? Surely you jest?"

They shook their heads.

"We do not. Face us Origin! Face two children who never truly fight alone!"

Both of them slipped into casting stances, Origin still frozen in shock at their display of reckless courage.

"I call upon the Lord of the Eternal Music. The beat that exists within all... I Summon Thee!"

"I call upon the Centre of the Balance. That which binds all as one... I Summon Thee!"

Origin's shock deepened, before he hastily cast a spell of his own.

"VOLT ARROW!"

"COME VERIUS!"

"COME DALLINIUS!

The spell shattered on the shield that appeared over the pair, the two summoned Sumara Lords fixing their gaze on their peer. Behind them the Crystals worn by some of those in the clearing began to glow, auras of power lighting up around everyone revealing a web of power that traced between every individual present. The unity they shared in their trust, and the faith in each other they carried in their hearts.

Verius regarded Origin with a hint of amusement.

"It was the strength of Sheena's heart that revived my power... That and the hearts of those who stand by her."

Dallinius spoke now, equally humoured by the irony of this situation.

"And it was the strong bond between her and Lloyd that helped fuel the return of my own power... We stand here once again, Origin, facing one another. You with but the power of your own strength, and I with the strength given to me by those I would trust with my might, and who would trust each other with their lives." He smirked. "Yield, Origin, or wouldst thou like mine self and Verius to beat thee to a pulp like the last time I didst face thee?"

Origin stared at his two fellow Sumara Lords, before slowly looking down to regard the two pairs of determined eyes glaring up at him. He dismissed his weapons, and bowed his head.

"...I yield... Before you two, and the power given to you by the trust and faith of your companions, I find myself humbled. I will trust you as I once trusted Mithos, and I believe that this time my faith will be well placed." He turned to the young Nartu. "Lloyd, the power of the Eternal Sword is now yours to claim. It lies at the place where I sense a tower of false intentions rising from these lands, north of here close to the borders of Aluran." He suddenly flinched, before a wave of anger filled his eyes and he shouted towards the skies. "_Betrayer! That power is no longer yours to touch! Cease at once!!_"

A distant boom reached their ears, as streaks of fire suddenly began to rain down high in the skies of the distance horizon. No sooner than they saw them, Krishka's voice resounded around them screaming in rage.

_'Mithos has just destroyed the tower!'_ Krishka appeared above them, his fang-filled maw bared in a snarl. "_He's taken the Seed! He's used his last moments with the Eternal Sword steal it!_"

All eyes widened in horror, before the clearing was left deserted with naught but the echo of pounding feet drifting across it. They had to hurry... There was so little time left...

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Woo hoo! Two chapters to go!**


	96. A Race Against Time

**Alaia Skyhawk: Gaaahhhhhh, so close!**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr Who 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 96: A Race Against Time

-

Appearing around the Sentinel near the Tower of Salvation, it was only the song shield held by several alurannai flying above it that protected it from the rain of fire that fell upon the area. The Tower was visibly falling apart, pieces breaking away getting closer and closer to the surface until only the base and its trio of supports that remained. Remaining in the sanctuary beneath that shield, the group could only watch as it happened. The metal shouts being relayed to Kratos through the Sentinels told the story of what was happening, shouted so loudly by the jiisumura sending them that even those with only receiver crystals were able to hear them. The trees of the western edge of Aluran were in flames, groups of alurannai working frantically to put out the fires. To the north of Aluran the Ozette region had also been struck by the falling debris, the village in tatters and the people there hastily and quite literally pulled from their homes and forcibly taken to safety. Fires were also starting in the grasslands of the Kharlan Grounds to the south and east, with the remainder of the collapsing tower falling among the mountains where harsh terrain deterred the spread of fires lit by the smouldering miniature comets plummeting to the ground. The fiery streaks from descending stone weren't the only things to be seen in the sky though. High above the blue was being replaced by swirling purple, spreading outwards until the obvious sphere of another world hung above them.

Zelos gaped at he stared up at it.

"What the heck _is_ that?"

"That is Derris Kharlan, the ancestral homeland of the Elves. It has always existed there, for almost four thousand years."

Raine turned to him, stunned.

"But how is that possible? There's no way another planet could exist that close!"

Kratos frowned, recovered enough now that he stood without support from his long-time friend.

"It is the power of the Eternal Sword that permits it to be there, and holds it there. Now that Lloyd is the one commanding that power, Derris Kharlan will begin to drift away once again, returning to it's original path... We don't have a lot of time." Eyeing the handful of fragments that still rained down, the last remnants of the once proud tower, he set off towards what was left of it. "It's safe for us to move. Let's go."

They took flight, those with wings carrying those who did not. The devastation in the area was almost beyond comprehension, once lush green swathes of grass and trees now littered with scorched chunks of stone and charred plants where fires had raged then been put out. At the tower the stairs of light were gone, their magic sundered, the crystal walkways within the stump of the structure tilting precariously on what remained of the magic supporting them. The Fifth Seal's platform had also suffered, having plummeted from its place suspended inside the tower to lie upon the shattered remains of the teleporter platform that had led to it.

Once the group had landed there, Lloyd and Sheena walked forward and looked up at the purple mass of Derris Kharlan.

"Origin, we're at the tower..."

The Spirit's voice resonated around them, urgent.

_'Speak your Vow to me, and then hold up your swords Lloyd.'_

The two crèche mates looked at one another, Lloyd lifting his blades as asked when they spoke together.

"We Vow for the sake of all, to do what we must to restore the mana for the sake of the World..."

A diamond Pact Ring appeared on each of their left hands, completing the set each wore. Then in a flare of violet light, the Eternal Sword appeared before them. It shone as it lay suspended there, that light splitting itself and the sword into two streams of power that infused themselves into the Nartu's weapons.

Lloyd lowered them, knowing instinctively what he now had to do. He brought the two swords together in his grip, fusing them into the amethyst crystal blade from a moment before and lifting it high above him.

"Eternal Sword, carry us to Derris Kharlan!"

_'Understood.'_

The sword blazed, blindingly bright as the world seemed to lurch around them. When it faded they were stood upon a field composed of shattered chunks of floating stone, the gate into the dome of the City of Welgaia just a short distance away. Wordlessly they took off towards it, running as fast as they could towards that entrance with Lloyd and Sheena in the lead. Reaching that gate they passed over an engraving on the ground before it, nothing happening until those with them tried to pass.

They skidded to a stop, turning to see everyone else trapped within the barrier of light surrounding the engraving.

"Wh…what the?"

As the rest of those trapped looked around in shock, Kratos' eyes widened when he recognised the pattern of the engraving and directed his gaze at his son.

"Lloyd, Sheena, this is the work of the Derris Emblem! Find it! With it, you can disarm the trap!"

Anything else that might have been said was lost, as everyone within the barrier vanished.

Sheena ran up to it, slamming into it and pounding on it.

"Myrta!"

Lloyd gripped his swords, knuckles white.

"Origin, what happened to everyone?"

_'Everything is all right. I can feel the presence of your companions, they are scattered about somewhere in the city. It appears my pact with you two protected you, and it is likely it will continue to protect you if you are careful. Proceed with care, I shall do my best to guide you to them.'_

Lloyd cursed under his breath, before taking Sheena by the arm and passing through the gate into the crystal and metal dome.

"All right. Let's go find them." They came out of the passage, stopping when they saw the dome was devoid of the flying angels that had dotted it previously. Some of them lay lifeless upon blood splattered and charred walkways, causing him and Sheena to stop in horror. "What the? He killed them, he killed his own followers!"

_'It would seem after his escape from the Chamber of the Great Seed, he vented his rage on that which was closest to hand... I sense the work of the Eternal Sword in this act; he likely had it destroy those he did not kill with his own hands... in the time before you came to my shrine to claim it.'_

Sheena looked like she was going to be sick, her hand covering her mouth.

"How could he? Most of them gave up their souls to follow him, and he slaughtered them!"

Swallowing to suppress his own nausea, Lloyd gripped the hilts of his swords once again.

"Origin, point us in the direction of those of our friends who are closest to here."

_'As you will.'_

They set off, following his voice through the maze of barren streets, flying when necessary but avoiding it when it was not. Something about the place made their skin crawl and made them reluctant to remain in such an exposed position as flight. Eventually they came to a door with which they were uncomfortably familiar, the prison where they had been locked up the last time they were here. Following Origin's directions, they made their way towards one of the cellblocks, passing through a strange barrier that covered the door into it.

Inside Regal and Presea were locked inside one of the cells, Sheena moving to the console that controlled the doors while Lloyd ran over to the cage but stopped when he felt magic sweep over him.

Regal jolted, standing up and moving to the bars.

"I thought I just saw Lloyd."

Presea frowned, also getting up.

"Yes…he disappeared. What could…"

The cell door opened, Sheena having found the control to unlock it. Regal eyed it warily.

"…A trap?"

"Even if it is, remaining here indefinitely…"

"…Would not be particularly meaningful. Let us search for Lloyd."

They walked out of the cell, Lloyd feeling like he was frozen to the spot unable to do anything but watch as a spectre of Presea's sister appeared to his left, Alicia's voice making them stop in their tracks.

"I'm so glad you two are safe!"

They gasped, Presea staring in disbelief.

"Alicia…"

"Impossible…"

Alicia took a step towards them at Regal's denial, her voice entreating.

"Please wait. I'll take you to Lloyd."

Regal shook his head, conflicting emotions visible on his normally calm face.

"It's an illusion! Alicia is…dead!"

Presea was also conflicted, uncertain.

"…Yes, she was murdered."

"…Yes. "

There was guilt in Regal's voice, Alicia glancing at him before she continued, focusing on her sister.

"Then what am I, Presea? Even thought I'm right here, breathing, my very own sister insists that I'm dead?"

Presea began to hesitate.

"I…"

"It's true that I was murdered by Regal, but here I am alive in front of you now. Isn't that enough?"

Regal clenched his fists, anger finally overwhelming his confusion.

"It's only an illusion! Be gone!"

"Ahh!"

He rushed at Alicia, but was stopped when her scream brought Presea charging in to stand between her and Regal.

"We…don't know for certain it's an illusion."

The girl behind her clasped her hands.

"Presea…you believe me, don't you? Thank you!"

"You!"

At the former convict's growl, Presea pulled her axe from across her back and held it up threateningly.

"Stop! If you don't stop…"

"Regal, I can't believe you'd try to kill me… I can't believe it…"

He took a step forward, Presea lifting her axe in response.

"Silence, phantom! Presea, move!"

She lunged at him, the axe swinging down.

"If you want to kill Alicia, you must face me first. Prepare yourself!"

"Stop it, both of you!!"

The axe shuddered to a halt mere inches from Regal's face, a trickle of blood running from its edge to patter onto the cold floor.

Regal looked around, searching.

"Lloyd's voice…is this an illusion as well?!"

Presea stared at the blood where it still dripped from the blade of her axe.

"But…there's blood…"

Alicia frowned, putting a hand on Presea's shoulder.

"I feel an evil presence from that blood! Be careful, Presea!"

Regal was staring at it now as well, once again conflicted.

"What's going on? What is real?"

"It doesn't matter, just settle down! Why are you fighting each other! You're supposed to be friends!"

The air seemed to shiver, as like a veil the magic that had concealed Lloyd from them faded away. He was stood in front of Regal, hands bleeding where they'd gripped the razor edge of Presea's weapon to stop it from striking him.

Presea lifted it away, she and Regal watching as Lloyd lowered his still bleeding hands.

"Lloyd…"

"You…aren't an illusion?"

Alicia began to scowl.

"Why did you stop attacking?! You hate the one who murdered me, don't you?!"

"But…"

"And Regal…why won't you just let yourself be killed? You've always felt guilty about killing me! Here's your chance to end it all!"

A spectre of Mithos appeared, standing behind Alicia as he regarded them.

"Yes. It's for the best... If you are killed, you will no longer feel guilt. If you killed him, you will have your revenge. Crimes must be punished!"

Lloyd shook his head.

"Both of you! Get a hold of yourselves! Don't confuse who you should be fighting! Dying won't settle anything! Killing won't solve anything!"

Mithos sneered in contempt.

"That is merely logic; people are not moved by logic. If the one you love is killed, you hate the murderer…And murderers must be punished."

Lloyd glared at him.

"But if you keep killing people like that, it will only spawn new hate and new revenge! Besides, you're just running away if you die. You'll forget the murder and the pain of that crime!"

Presea and Regal both stiffened at those words.

"…Spawn new hate…"

"…Running away from my crime…"

Alicia was still scowling, her voice becoming shrill with anger.

"What about _my_ feelings?! You _murdered me!_"

Lloyd walked towards her, solemn.

"It is true that Alicia died, but we know she doesn't want things to end like this. What you're both doing is selfish!"

The two humans turned to him, their confusion gone.

"You're…the real Lloyd."

"And that Alicia is a fake. Alicia wouldn't say things like that…"

Lloyd swept a hand through the spectre of the human girl.

"Stop deceiving my friends!!"

She vanished, the image of Mithos also disappearing when the alurannai youth approached it. Seeing the images and the barrier around the room were gone, Lloyd turned to Regal and Presea as Sheena came over to join them.

"We came to get you guys."

Regal closed his eyes, his expression guilty.

"I'm sorry. I…lost the will to atone for my crimes by taking comfort in the feeling of being punished. Death is not punishment, punishment is living with one's crime and working to atone for it."

Presea also looked guilty, her fist pressed to her chest.

"I closed off my heart and turned away from people who were trying to atone for their crimes, because it was easier to hate then to forgive."

Lloyd and Sheena smiled, welcoming the return of their friends.

"There are so many things you can do before you die, and I don't think everything has to be forgiven."

"But no matter how painful things may be, you just can't dwell on the past."

The two humans nodded.

"I…will stop allowing myself to be trapped in the past."

"You're right. One cannot seek a new world while dragging the past along behind them."

High above, the spectre of Mithos looked down at them.

"And thus you forget the past… The countless lives that were lost…and the pain of those that suffered. Crimes must be met with punishment."

He vanished, disappearing as the four friends left the prison to where next Origin led them.

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

The sight of the scattering of dead angels had shocked the two humans as it had shocked their rescuers. Regal and Presea had both stopped and stared in horror upon leaving the prison, only moving when Lloyd had looked up from healing his hands to urge them to keep moving.

It didn't take long for Origin to guide them to the next members of their group, the two Chosens stood upon a crystal platform locked into a trance. That platform was surrounded by a barrier, one that would not permit Regal and Presea to pass. Only Lloyd and Sheena could proceed to stand below the pair, and it seemed their arrival was the trigger for the trap's malevolent intent.

Zelos flinched, shaking his head in disorientation before looking around.

"Where the heck is this funky place?"

Colette was equally confused, eyes also searching until a sound reached her ears.

"Huh? What's that strange noise?"

"Strange noise?"

Both of them staggered, as the centre of the platform became a shadowed whirlpool of magic that dragged on them as though to devour them. Both of them began to run, only able to keep pace with the pull but not escape. It was as they remained in that stalemate that two spectres appeared before them.

"What's the matter? You'll be caught unless you hurry and run."

"Such a pathetic sight, Zelos."

Collette and Zelos gasped, almost falling in shock at who stood before them.

"Why is Remiel?"

Zelos shook his head, anger seeping into his features.

"It's got to be an illusion. There's _no way_ those two would be here. For a start, one of them is _dead!_"

Celes sneered at her brother, as his fight against the whirlpool of magic meant he was running towards her.

"You're so stupid... You've shut your eyes to reality for so long that you can't even tell what's_ real _anymore."

Remiel also sneered, Collette in the same position as her fellow Chosen.

"Despite receiving your angelic powers, you still fail to realize that I am not an illusion. You are indeed a failure."

"It's so sad. How did someone so unworthy become the Chosen?"

"You two Chosens were born by mistake. Had you not been born, all these misfortunes would have not fallen upon everyone. You poor, poor Chosen who'll destroy the world..."

Colette choked, shaking her head.

"I've…never brought misfor..."

The angel interrupted her.

"Never brought misfortune upon anyone? Really? Countless lives were lost because you valued your own life more than theirs."

Celes folded her arms, her expression one of disgust.

"A Chosen who shamelessly flaunted his position, and a Chosen who will destroy the world…a fitting end."

"Now, run away if you can! Be devoured by darkness and die!"

Colette and Zelos began to be dragged backwards, as the power of the whirlpool increased and a monstrous spider appeared below it.

Zelos cursed.

"Dammit! We're gonna be eaten by that monster unless we do something!"

"No!"

Celes held a hand out tauntingly, Remiel doing the same.

"Would you like me to save you, Zelos?"

"Beg for our forgiveness."

"And pledge loyalty to Cruxis."

A spectre of Mithos in his adult form appeared, standing there and watching.

"That monster below will bestow eternal suffering upon you. If it devours you, you will neither live nor die. You will be trapped in the true darkness, tormented in isolation forever."

Colette was on the verge of panic.

"Forever…"

Mithos pressed his advantage.

"I can save you. Join us and defeat Lloyd, then it will all be over."

Remiel and Celes also put pressure on the pair.

"Lord Mithos will reunite the worlds if you become the Goddess Martel."

"And he'll remove the title and duties of the Chosen from you and transfer everything to me."

Zelos blinked, almost dazed.

"…Celes will gain the power of the Chosen?"

"Yes! What I've wanted more then anything else, the power of the Chosen! You'll let me have it, won't you? Just imagine, your life will finally have meaning and value."

Mithos' voice oozed over them, like a strangling vine seeking every crack in a wall that would make it crumble.

"All you have to do is pledge your allegiance to me. As soon as you do that, you will be saved from the shadow's grasp."

Both of the captives seemed to be losing their will, Collette looking up at the spectre of Remiel with her hand slowly starting to reach out for his.

"The world will be saved?"

Zelos was also obviously tempted, all logic overridden by the pressure of the words thrown at him.

"Celes will become the Chosen…"

Lloyd had had enough, stepping forward below and shouting, Sheena doing likewise.

"Listen to me, both of you!"

"We've come for you guys! We're right down below!"

Zelos looked down, seeing nothing but the gaping maw of a very large spider.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! The only thing down there is that monster!"

Colette's eyes widened, as for a moment logic went out the window and she said the first thing that came to mind.

"Lloyd! Don't tell me you were eaten by that big thing!"

As Zelos glanced sidelong at her, with the sudden urge to face-palm, Mithos frowned.

"Those voices are the real illusion. The monster is mimicking them to lure you."

Lloyd's voice again rose from below.

"I'm not an illusion! Did Martel _want _to possess your body, Collette? Do you think it's okay for Celes to become the next Chosen when you went to so much effort to protect her from that, Zelos?"

Zelos blinked, as did Collette.

"I…"

"Well…"

The image of the spider began to flicker, Lloyd and Sheena coming in and out of view as the latter spoke.

"Both of you have to decide for yourselves. But we have faith in you."

"I know you won't run away, even if what we're trying to do is difficult! Don't forget. Your lives have value just by being alive and being there!"

"Value in…just being alive?"

"…A joke like me has value?"

Mithos' began to glare, he was losing his grip on them.

"Of course not. No life has any value just by being alive."

Again the image of the spider flickered, Lloyd's voice once again ringing out.

"Shut up! There's a significance in being born; but if that's not good enough for you, I'll give them another value. They're both valuable because they're my friends!"

Zelos snorted.

"Heh, that's a pretty pathetic value, but I suppose it'll do."

Mithos stared at him, as did the spectre of Celes.

"You reject my offer?"

"You know what I wish for, yet you still interfere?!"

Zelos began to smile, and then stopped running, slowly being dragged backwards now he no longer fought it.

"Sorry, but I've got no choice. The guy who decided my value believes in me and tells me not to run away! I trust you, Lloyd. I, the sorta valuable Zelos, am headed your way!"

He vanished into the whirlpool of magic, Colette looking over her shoulder.

"Ahh, he beat me to it."

Remiel sneered at her, Mithos' tone carrying the same contempt.

"Are you running away again?"

"The world will end because of you."

Colette clenched her fists, he expression becoming stubborn as she too stopped running.

"I won't run. We're going to reunite the worlds our way. Lloyd taught me that it's wrong to think that dying will solve everything!" She was dragged into the whirlpool, falling through it as the barrier around the trap shattered. She found herself standing beside the young man who had been her friend since she was four years old, and standing there she looked at her hands. "I may be a failure as a Chosen, but I have to fulfil my duties as a Chosen by continuing to live."

Lloyd smiled at her, as Regal and Presea rushed over.

"Welcome back, you two."

She smiled at him.

"Thanks, Lloyd. I'm not going to run away from life anymore. I'm going to live and find a new world with everyone!"

Zelos was also smiling, although his was more of a smirk.

"Exactly. Especially since we now have out new found pathetic value and all. I'm gonna try and face my challenges head on!"

Sheena punched him lightly on the shoulder.

"Yeah. Running won't solve anything."

Above the sundered trap the image of Mithos, once again in his young form, looked down at them.

"What possible value does one burdened to exist with cursed blood have? Sometimes running is the only way to save yourself. Humans are…so arrogant."

He vanished, the now larger group once again moving on, guided by Origin. Through the maze of streets they passed, slowly getting closer to its heart when another barrier confronted them.

Lloyd and Sheena walked forward through it, Origin's power letting them pass while the others remained outside. Within the barrier they found a mirror set into a wall, a mirror that held Genis and Raine within it.

The pair looked outwards, as though into a mirror themselves, their expressions conflicted by what they saw.

Genis took a step back, confused.

"Why is the Mayor of Iselia?"

His sister stiffened, moving closer to him.

"Be careful. It's an illusion."

It was clear they couldn't see Lloyd and Sheena, only the image of the mayor there before them.

He sneered.

"You think I'm an illusion? This is exactly why everyone says half-elves are fools."

"...Raine... My pitiful child… A tainted child who received only half her elven blood."

Raine's breath caught in her throat, her expression as horrified as her brother's.

"…M-Mother?"

The mayor made a dismissive gesture, his tone harsh.

"Half-elves have no place in this world!"

"That's not true!"

Genis glared back at the man, beside whom the elven woman glared at them over the clutched image of a ragged cloth doll.

"It is because you are despicable half-lings that I had to leave Heimdall."

Raine's voice rose with emotion.

"Then why did you give birth to us?!"

The Mayor of Iselia scoffed.

"There probably was no choice. That's why you were thrown away after you were born."

"Disappear from this world…"

"Die! There is no meaning for you to live!"

"Disappear…"

"Die! Now!"

Genis looked back and forth between the two, his eyes full of hurt.

"Humans and elves…neither side wants us..."

The mayor clenched a fist.

"That's right. No one wants you!"

Raine stood paralysed, eyes full of pain.

"I didn't choose to be born like this…Yet…"

Virginia continued to clutch the doll, her eyes seeming to pierce the soul of her daughter.

"It can't he helped. It's _your_ fault for not being a pureblood."

Lloyd's voice made the mirror rattle, his image appearing between the two spectres.

"No, you're wrong!"

Mithos' voice whispered from around them, dark and without hope.

"No, they are not wrong. Half-elves are despised and discriminated against for merely being alive. Our _existence_ is a crime."

Lloyd shook his head.

"No! It's not the half-elves' fault! People who can't accept those who are different are the ones to blame! It's because of their weak hearts!"

His shout shook the mirror even further, cracks radiating across it until part of it shattered. When the pieces fell away, he and Sheena reached through the gap to pull the two half-elves from their prison.

Sheena smiled.

"Hey you two, we came to getcha."

Genis looked between them, dazed.

"Lloyd… Sheena..."

"It's hopeless, Raine, you'll just be abandoned again. As long as you are a half-elf, the world will continue to hate you."

Raine looked at the Lloyd and Sheena, the mayor and her mother still visible either side of the ragged hole in the mirror beside her.

"Lloyd…came for us, even though he could have left us behind and faced Mithos."

Virginia's frown deepened.

"You'll just be betrayed again... Because you're a half-elf."

Raine turned to look at her, no doubts left in her heart.

"You're wrong. It wasn't because of my blood that we had to leave Heimdall. It was because of the world that hates my blood... My hatred never changed anything. In order to change the world, I must first…change myself. I'm _glad _I was born a half-elf. It was because of it that I met Lloyd and my other dear friends."

Mithos' voice whispered again.

"Genis, do you feel the same? Are you happy that you were born a half-elf?"

Genis closed his eyes.

"Because of discrimination, I used to hate humans..." He opened them. "But I don't anymore, because deep down everyone is the same."

The mayor's anger was evident, as he loomed behind the cracked face of the mirror.

"You're an idiot! You're deluding yourself!"

Genis didn't even look at him.

"I'm the same. Just like those that hate half-elves, I use to get mad at humans and elves just for being who they are. That's just going to make them hate me more! My heart was weak, too, until I learned to start be strong."

The four friends walked away from the mirror as the barrier shattered and the spectres vanished, once again the image of Mithos looking down from above.

"…Is it a sin to be weak hearted? Not everyone's strong. Not everyone can stand being despised..."

The group gathered down below as he vanished, unaware of his words. Welcoming back two more of their number, only three remained missing within the city. It didn't take long for Origin to lead them to where they were, but the previous three parts of Mithos' trap did nothing to prepare them for the sight that awaited them.

The group looked up in horror, the final three members of their group suspended high above them. Kratos, Yuan, and Vayla hung from and were wrapped by chains that glowed with a dark aura, their eyes barely open as though they were in some kind of trance.

A barrier stopped the rest of the group proceeding, once again Sheena and Lloyd the only ones who could pass. They walked to stand below the three, and once again as if their presence were the trigger, spectres appeared before those trapped... but these two had even the alurannai youths gasping in shock.

Breuntas hovered before his grandson and Vayla, his blue wings fanning idly as he stared at them.

"Once again the two of you fail... You whose deeds have wrought nothing but destruction in their wake."

Opposite them, in front of Yuan, it was Martel who floated upon crystalline wings.

"Everything I ever hoped for, destroyed. History's memory of us is supposed to be our legacy, and yet you allowed our names to fade from it until only Mithos' tainted one remained beside the title of Nine Companions. Why should we have suffered so, if you let us be forgotten so easily?"

All three prisoners made choked sounds, struck to the heart by the words of the spectres before them.

Kratos tried to speak, his voice catching in his throat a few times before he managed it.

"This can't be real! Breuntas is dead! I am Narim now!"

Vayla was equally confused, and pained.

"That's right, you were there when he died! This is an illusion!"

Martel looked over her shoulder at them, sneering.

"So it's an illusion, it is? Are the chains that hold you illusions? Is this place an illusion? You are here because you failed, failed like so many times before. You are _condemned_ to this prison for the rest of your miserable lives!"

Yuan looked at his wife, unable to believe such words would be spoken by her.

"M-Martel, what are you saying? Why are we chained here? We never deliberately destroyed anything unless it was necessary!"

Green eyes pinned him where he hung.

"And that makes it right?" He fell silent as she continued. "So many people died because Kratos led the Companions down the path of our journey, because he set us on that road... You helped in that, you and Vayla both! You knew they were alurannai right from the start, before Mithos and I had even met them! And not only that but even when Kratos murdered the King of Tethe'alla back then you still hid it from us!"

Breuntas nodded gravely, turning once again to his grandson.

"That's right, these chains that bind you are the lives lost because of you! And yours, my unaturu, are the heaviest of all!" The chains binding Kratos multiplied, the weight dragging on him as he groaned in pain. Breuntas moved forward to hover inches from his face. "You are a _disgrace_ to the people of Aluran! It was _your_ fault the Kharlan War lasted so long, and _your_ fault that the Giant Tree died! That day you murdered all those men in cold blood, two thousand of them dead in less than a minute, and then you slaughtered their king... Your blind rage set in motion the cycle of hate that fuelled the war for another nine hundred years! You are nothing but a _beast_, Kratos, a beast to be kept caged for the rest of eternity!"

"You're wrong!" All three captives lifted their heads at that voice, eyes searching as Lloyd continued to call out to them. "First Precept of the Alurannai: They who acknowledge their mistakes and attempt to correct them, can be forgiven even if they fail for at least they'll have tried! You've lived by that Precept, always carried it and the memory of those lost deep in your hearts! You've never stopped working to make up for the mistakes you made, and that's all that matters!"

Lloyd and Sheena became visible below, the later of them calling out in reason.

"Kratos, it wasn't what happened that day that made the war last so long! It was the hatred in the hearts of the people fighting it that made it continue, that and their unwillingness to let go of that hate! It's not your fault, not the fault of any of you! You did your best!"

Yuan closed his eyes, refusing to look at the spectre of his dead wife.

"Martel was one who was truly the embodiment of that Precept... No matter how much she was oppressed and hurt, she never stopped forgiving. And now, in memory of her strong heart, I forgive Kratos and myself for all that happened..."

The chains binding him began to break, whole lengths of them falling away and vanishing to dust. Vayla too had closed her eyes, her chains starting to fall away as well while Kratos looked at the image of his grandfather one last time.

"That day of my past is one of the darkest I have ever experienced, one where I succumbed to blind rage fuelled by the desire to protect the boy in my care... If I were a disgrace for using that rage, then all alurannai would be equally guilty, for it was the same rage that enveloped us all the day the Giant Tree was dealt the mortal wounds that eventually killed it..." He sighed, his chains starting to crumble as well. "I forgive my people... as I forgive myself... We tried..."

All three sets of chains shattered, the three companions dropping to the platform below while high above Mithos' spectre glared down at them.

"Did they ever forgive me? No... I was condemned, and continue to be condemned... You and your high and mighty Precepts... will never forgive me..."

He vanished for the last time, as the final shaken members were welcomed back. Once assured that everyone was accounted for and unharmed, Kratos took the lead and headed for the centremost point of the city. There, on a platform of its own, lay a large teleportation panel; the way to it blocked by a shielded engraving like the one outside the city entrance.

Kratos walked up to it, the barrier fading as he passed through it and picked something up from the centre of the design. Holding it up, he showed it to the others, revealing it to be a miniature version of the pattern on the floor.

"This is the Derris Emblem... There was a time back during the Kharlan War, when Mithos had gone off to spend some time alone, that a summoner approached him and gave him both this and the Sorcerer's Ring. He explained to Mithos that it had had been made on Derris Kharlan, and brought to Symphonia by the elves. Saying that the two items had been passed down through his family, he stated he had heard of the efforts of the Nine Companions and wanted us to have them."

Vayla took up the story, as Kratos put the emblem over his right wrist where it clasped there like a bracelet.

"The Derris Emblem protects its owner, and those the owner specifies, from illusions like those in the traps we just faced. It seems Mithos found a way to make the emblem deceive his enemies with illusions as opposed to protecting him from such."

Kratos muttered something, copies of the emblem appearing briefly upon the right wrists of everyone present before they became invisible from view. It was now that Yuan ended the explanation, a nod of his head indicating the ring Collette still wore after all this time.

"As for the Sorcerer's Ring, it lets humans use very basic fire magic, and for a group where everyone was a spell caster of some sort it was little but a curiosity for us. Kratos and I decided to use it as part of the tests of the Ritual when we designed them, and built the devices that temporarily change the ring's element as part of those trials."

Raine glanced at the ring, frowning.

"I'd wondered where such a complex magical item had come from. As simple as it seems, for it to draw and shape mana into elements on its own is extremely rare in magitechnology." She looked at Kratos. "What happened to the summoner who gave it to you?"

The three Companions glanced at one another, Vayla the one to speak.

"That's the freaky thing about it... Mithos was only a short distance from our camp when that summoner approached him, but when he took us there a few minutes after coming back with the emblem and the ring there so no sign of him...It's kind of hard to lose a guy that size and a humongous black cat-shaped spirit in the middle of a grassy plain, but lose them we did. Mithos was the only one who actually saw them, but there's no denying he must have been given the items because they did exactly what the guy said they'd do."

Done with extending the emblem's protections over the group, Kratos turned and headed for the teleporter, his voice grave as he spoke.

"As interesting as this conversation is, we cannot forget why we are here... Mithos must be in his castle, Vinheim... It is time we took back that which we came for..."

They followed him, heading for what would be the final confrontation with the leader of Cruxis...

---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---

**Alaia Skyhawk: Not much I can say really, the next one is the last one.... Hmmm, almost 1 am in the morning and next chapter is 80% prewritten. Shall I finish it quick and post it, or make you guys wait? Hehehehe...**


	97. Redemption

**Alaia Skyhawk: This is it, the final chapter! It's been a long road, one filled with many of the potholes known as writer's block, but I've gotten there in the end. I hope you like this send off for Path of Restoration.**

**I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr Who 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them... **

**Enjoy**

-

Chapter 97: Redemption

-

Like the city beyond, the castle was deserted but for the corpses that littered its hallways like a macabre trail of breadcrumbs pointing the path to their destination. They ran onwards, Kratos and Yuan leading the way through the maze-castle they'd known for almost four thousand years, the group behind them determinedly keeping pace.

Running just behind his father, Lloyd frowned in concentration as he considered what was about to happen.

"Mithos is just ahead… and the Great Seed is there too. I can sense it!"

One by one, those behind him nodded, each with their own thing to say in this important moment.

Raine hefted her staff, eyes fixed ahead.

"Then I'm ready. I'm prepared to accept whatever happens in the coming battle…and we will win!"

Sheena drew her weapon seals.

Yeah. We're gonna win…for Mizuho, the worlds, and for all of you who believed a coward like me could get over her fear and get this far."

Collette unhooked her chakrans from beneath her hair, flipping off the safety latches.

"And… for myself, too. I don't want anyone else to make the same mistake I did. No one should have to think that they have to sacrifice their own life."

Genis nodded, his kendama in his grip as Regal ran beside him.

"Everyone should be able to live freely, no matter who they are. Humans and elves and even us… It's okay for us to be here, in this world."

"Yes. That's why we must recover the Great Seed from Mithos and revive the Giant Tree. Without it, not only will we be unable to restore peace between the different races..."

"The world itself will die." Presea held her axe in two hands, her grip firm. "We can't let that happen. We must reunite the worlds, and afterwards we shall make a new promise to the new world."

Zelos drew his sword, his pace never wavering.

"Yeah, the people that I like and the people that I don't, both have the right to live in the same world as I do. Because that's the way things should be. So count me in, I won't run from this one."

At the front, Kratos' voice carried back to them, Yuan's as well.

"To atone for allowing this twisted world to exist, I will fight with everything I have, and win."

"I feel the same. We allowed this to continue, and even if we had no choice, I want to atone for that."

Lloyd grinned determinedly, in agreement with his father.

"All right! Let's do this! We're going to restore a world where everyone can live freely!"

They ran on, racing through the castle like the winds of change. Higher and higher they climbed, never slowing until Kratos and Yuan slammed into either side of a pair of huge double doors and forced them open.

The group skidded to a halt, surprised by what they saw within. The Throne Room of the Seraphim had been ripped asunder, only the section with throne of the First Seraphim remaining where it hung suspended by magic among the purple clouds of Derris Kharlan. The fliers in the group grabbed the others, soaring over to the floating platform to land there with weapons at the ready, the Great Seed hovering above.

Genis stepped forward, his voice filled with entreaty.

"Mithos, listen to me! We don't have to fight! Please return the Great Seed to us so that we can reunite the worlds."

Lloyd joined him, sombre.

"Mithos, Martel is already dead… There's no reason for this to continue like this."

Yggdrasil opened his eyes from where he sat on his throne, glaring at them as he slowly rose to his feet.

"That's not true, Martel _is _alive. Her soul remained in her Cruxis Crystal after her body was destroyed, and it still remains there."

Lloyd clenched his fists.

"But that's not living. That's just existing as a lifeless being!"

The angel regarded him with contempt.

"What's wrong with that? After all, in our bodies flow the blood of humans and elves... the bloods of those that despise us. We're better off casting aside much filth and become lifeless beings, as I learned to do over these many years. Just watch, as a lifeless being I can even control my appearance and growth!" Mana flared around him, the tall man replaced by the young boy with rainbow wings. "Everyone should become lifeless beings. I've said before, the only way to eliminate discrimination is for everyone to become the same race..."

Lloyd stared for a moment, before shaking his head.

"What you hope for is nothing but a dream, Mithos. Discrimination comes from the heart."

Genis nodded.

"He's right, Mithos. It's the weakness of people's _hearts _that causes discrimination. Looking down upon others while placing themselves too high."

"You do the same thing! You look down on humans and elves, treating them like cattle. That's the weakness of _your _heart."

Sheena pointed at him accusingly, Regal stood beside her.

"Even if people become lifeless beings, nothing will change. Discrimination will continue."

Mithos stared at them, hearing the words and the assurance with which they'd been said.

"Then where _should _the half-elves go? ...We aren't accepted anywhere. We opened our hearts, but no one took us in. Where should _we_ live?"

Lloyd sighed.

"You can live anywhere you like."

There was a snort, the angel unconvinced.

"Don't make me laugh."

"I'm serious, anywhere is fine. If you aren't doing anything wrong, you should just live proudly in the open."

Mithos fell silent, thoughtful, before speaking again.

"But it's because we couldn't do that…that I…that _we _wanted a place of our own!"

Zelos butted in, moving to stand beside Lloyd.

"Nuh-uh! Sorry, but don't act like you're the only victim here. It doesn't even come _close _to justifying all the things that you've done."

They stood staring at one another, two sides of a conflict four thousand years old. No one moved, not a word was said, until Kratos strode forward to stand alone.

"He is right, all that you have is a motive." He drew his sword, a graceful length of magical alloy covered with Alurannai talisman work, and pointed it at the angel. "Mithos Yggdrasil, we are going to take the Seed regardless of what you think. If you truly wish to keep it, then you will have to defeat me."

Mithos took a step back.

"You want me to _fight _you? You _alone_?"

Kratos regarded him gravely, unwavering.

"Is it not the student's wish that they might one day surpass their mentor? I was your teacher, your friend, and now must be the one to stop you. Do you have the will to face your past, Mithos?"

Mithos stood there for a moment, before slowly stepping down from his throne to the floor level on which the Narim stood, a sword of white light conjured into his grasp to be twirled idly as he looked at his challenger.

"Alright, let's do this... old friend."

They lunged at one another, the rest of the group hastily backing up to give them space. Mithos swung at Kratos' head, the blocked blow striking with such force as to lift the half-elf off the floor. With a sharp flap of his rainbow coloured wings, Mithos shot upwards to come slamming back down again with another platform shaking blow. Kratos retaliated, his sword a blur as he parried and thrust with equal force, the purple clouds of mana surrounding the area roiling in reaction to the battle.

Standing back behind a shield placed by Lloyd using the Eternal Sword, the group could only look on as the two former companions continued to fight one another, Raine voicing her concerns.

"Kratos still isn't fully recovered from releasing the Origin Seal, is he even strong enough to do this?"

Yuan put a hand on her shoulder, his eyes on the fight.

"Weakened he may be, in truth it has put the two of them on an even level for this fight. This will come down to skill, to which of them can wield a sword the best... Kratos as the teacher, and Mithos as the student fighting to surpass him. What remains to be seen is if Mithos remembers the lessons Kratos taught him all those years ago, or if he will forget and make the mistake that was always his greatest weakness with the sword."

Presea looked at him, confused.

"Weakness?"

Vayla glanced at her sidelong.

"His emotions... Throughout all our time as the Nine Companions, Mithos' greatest weakness was always when he lost his impartiality in battle. It would blind him to his actions and he would become careless, and on a few occasions it almost got him killed." She looked back at the fight still raging between her crèche mate and their former friend. "What we have to see now, is if Kratos will take advantage of it."

They fell silent once again, watching as the two swordsmen alternated between fighting on foot and striking at each other from the air. Neither used magic, instead focusing everything they had into getting their blade through the other's defence. Wounds soon dotted both of them, blood streaking azure reta and long blond hair. Breath began to come in short gasps, swings of a sword becoming slower and less forceful, the platform shaking less and less from each impact. At one point their weapons locked, hilt-to-hilt, the two fighters staring into each other's faces with teeth gritted before the broke apart and the fight began anew. Both of them were tiring, and quickly, this couldn't go on much longer.

Finally, as he and Kratos staggered back from a clash, Mithos lost his composure. Facing with defeat at the hands of the one he saw as his betrayer, he blindly launched himself towards him with a yell. Kratos saw it coming, as did his companions standing nearby, their hearts in their throats as he brought his sword down low at his side. He brought it up sideways in a great two-handed sweep, with every last ouce of his strength.

Mithos' eyes widened as he saw it, too late to get out of the way. He blocked it with his sword of light, the blade of magic shattering as the half-elf was struck and flung towards the edge of the great platform by the force of that final strike. He hit the floor to roll towards the fall into the purple abyss below, tumbling onwards until he reached open air and began to plummet with wide eyes as his wings and strength failed him.

Lloyd dropped the barrier in shock when a figure disappeared from his side, a hand whipping out from that individual to grab the angel's trailing wrist to drag them back onto the platform while the group looked on in stunned silence.

Vayla got up, leaving Mithos kneeling on that edge as the last of his will to fight slowly ebbed away into bewilderment.

"Why? ...Why did stop me from falling?"

She stopped, turning to look at him with sad eyes.

"Because long ago I promised a four year old boy that if he ever fell I'd be there to catch him..."

A tear came to green eyes that hadn't known such for almost four thousand years.

"Y-You remembered that?"

The brown eyes that regarded him were filled with sorrow, and regret.

"I never forget a promise, no matter what might have come between us. If I can keep it without endangering the worlds, then I will... Even if it means showing kindness to an... enemy..."

Mithos stared at her, that single tear trickling down his cheek. He looked like a lost little boy, a child who had thought himself bereft of the kindness and love of others... who realised now that if he'd only looked for it, it had been there waiting for him all along if only he'd accepted it...

"Vayla... Kratos... I... I made a terrible mistake, didn't I?" They nodded, the rest of the group remaining silent, not sure what to make of this sudden and strange conversation when moments before they'd been witnessing a battle. Mithos bowed his head, his blood matted hair obscuring his face as he brought a hand up to his Cruxis Crystal. "It's too late... I can't go back... It's gone... forever... the past..." His voice became choked with emotion. "Martel... What have I done? ...What have I done to you and everyone?" The hand on the crystal tightened, as those lost eyed suddenly became focused and fixed themselves onto a startled Lloyd. "...Chosen... of Restoration...The path of the future is yours to walk... but no longer mine... "

Realising what Mithos was about to do, Lloyd light jumped to his side with such haste that he dropped the Eternal Sword on the floor beside them.

"Mithos! NO!"

The split second Lloyd appeared at his side, reaching out to stop him, Mithos wrenched his Cruxis Crystal out of its mount, his face turning suddenly to the pallor of the dying as the stone came free and dropped onto the floor beside the sword.

Lloyd cradled him, as Vayla took a step toward the pair with a look of horror on her face only to be stopped by Kratos' hand on her shoulder.

He shook his head.

"It can't be put back... Once removed, it can't be put back..."

Mithos gasped, struggling to breathe as the removed crystal leached the mana from him where it lay.

"I can't go back... Even though... I now see... I could never live among you... Not after... what I've done... Lloyd... destroy my Crystal when I'm gone... I don't want to spend eternity trapped... with no way out..." He shuddered. "I'm sorry..."

With a final gasp, and a pleading look to the youth, his green eyes closed one final time, his body going limp as the last of his life fled into the crystal beside him.

Tears falling from his eyes, as his shocked and stunned companions each reacted to what they'd just witnessed in their own ways, Lloyd took hold of the hilt of the Eternal Sword, lifted it up, and brought it down upon the glowing sphere... shattering it. He then placed it across his lap, the purple crystal blade resting against the body of the fallen hero he held.

Bowing his head over the body, he whispered.

"I promise, I'll make sure that all people come to know that you saw the truth in the end... That you truly regretted what you'd done... I promise you that, Mithos." He got up, setting the pale figure he held on the floor before standing straight and lifting the sword he held high above him. "Eternal Sword! Restore the true form of our two worlds!"

It blazed, everything turning to blinding white light as the group covered their eyes to shield them. The air shuddered, the world lurching around them before they found themselves stood near the ruins of the Tower of Salvation with the Great Seed drifting down slowly above them and Origin's voice calling out.

_'I have done as you asked, the worlds are once again one... but there is no link. Without a link the world will die.'_

Kratos looked to his son, his voice urgent.

"Lloyd, use the mana of Derris Kharlan and germinate the Great Seed! Hurry before it drifts off into space!"

Lloyd gripped the blade, as once again Origin spoke.

_'Lloyd, Derris Kharlan is right at the edge of this worlds gravitational field. Not even Yggdrasil... Mithos... could stop it now... The forces involved in calling the mana from that distance may kill you, do you still intend to try?'_

Lloyd lifted the sword above him, gazed fixed on the Seed.

"It's not like I have any choice. This is what I was born to do, and I'm going to do it!" He gritted his teeth. "Eternal Sword, germinate the Great Seed!"

The sword once again blazed, mana streaming down from the violet sphere above to surround it. Tighter and tighter it whirled, before suddenly it was flung outwards.

Lloyd looked up in horror, his face tingeing grey as a sickening feeling came over him. Recognising it, Kratos rushed to his side to support him before looking up in horror at the Seed.

"It's repelling the mana, the mana can't get through!"

Collette gasped, a hand to her mouth.

"Do you mean the Seed is?"

"It's dying..."

Lloyd struggled to try and keep the mana flowing, trying to force it to obey as in desperation he strived with everything he had to maintain his faltering Soul Link to the Seed. The sword vanished from his grasp, leaving him staring at empty hands before instinct had him take flight he fly up to where the dimming Seed still floated slowly downwards. He reached out to touch it, desperate for that silent voice which was swiftly fading from his mind, but was stopped by the sudden appearance of someone totally unexpected.

Mithos, in his child form, hovered before him as a spectre holding the Eternal Sword, causing Lloyd to gasp in surprise.

"M-Mithos, how?"

Eyes sad, the echo of Mithos regarded him.

"My connection to the sword is not totally severed, a part of my old pact remains with it. When you shattered my Cruxis Crystal I used that so I could do this one last thing... My foolishness is what weakened the Great Seed, and so now I will do what I can to save it." The spectre did something with the sword, and suddenly he was holding not one blade, but two. Handing the one of violet crystal back to Lloyd, Mithos kept hold of his old sword from the days of the Kharlan War. "This is the last of my pact, the sword you hold is now completely yours... Lloyd, I genuinely regret what I did, and although I know nothing I could do could make up for it, I will do this for the world anyway... Lloyd, farewell..."

Turning, the spectre of Mithos seemed to absorb the sword he held, the long enchanted blade crumbling as the residual power in it became part of him. Like a stream of crystal motes his spirit flowed away as he gave himself totally and utterly to the Seed... Nearly four thousand years after he spread the lie of his death, like the conclusion of some unknown self made prophecy, Mithos Yggdrasil truly did sacrifice himself for the sake of the world.

Lloyd shuddered, as his Soul Link to the Seed suddenly became rope strong. Taking the chance that Mithos had given him, he reached up with the Eternal Sword one last time. No command was needed as mana came screaming down out of the sky, and like a blazing comet the Seed suddenly plummeted earthward as the power surrounded it and its voice rang out in triumph.

The light was too bright, all those within sight of this event covered their eyes to protect them... That is, all but one...

Tabatha, called to this place by some unknown command, stood directly below the falling Seed. Gazing skyward, she held up her arms as though to catch it, and in response it stopped mere feet above her and enveloped her as its petal like shapes broke apart and dissolved into light. Blazing like a miniature sun, the light slowly compressed upon itself until finally it faded.

Tabatha was no longer there... In her place stood a tall green haired woman holding a staff in her right hand... and in the crook of her left arm sat a seedling Tree with its roots gently twined around her wrist. The woman turned and looked upwards, as the boy of the Prophecy, the Chosen of Restoration, descended and landed before her.

"Greetings, Lloyd... I am Martel."

The alurannai boy stared in surprised, the woman before him truly the image of the woman whose name she claimed.

"Y-You're Mithos' sister?"

She shook her head a little.

"No, Mithos' sister Martel is but one of the many souls within me. I was created by the Mana, and by the Tree. I am the symbol of the many lives sacrificed to the Great Seed. I am a new Spirit born into this world to watch over the Tree, alongside you all, on behalf of you all. As long as it exists, so will I." She looked down at the seedling cradled in her arm, and stepped forward towards Lloyd. "Here, take it. You are the one who must carry it to where it belongs. Take it to Aluran. I will await you there..."

Carefully holding the tiny Tree in his arms, Lloyd watched as she faded like smoke and vanished.

Hearing the sound of footsteps coming from behind him, Lloyd beat his ruby wings and soared into the sky before bearing north-east towards his ancestral homeland. Reaching out with his mind he touched the power of Summon Spirits and whispered in his thoughts.

_It's time for them all to come home..._

Startled cries rang out across an entire world as the Summon Spirits acting as one transported everyone that Lloyd had willed. A blur of sudden movement later and he was gliding down towards a long abandoned hill, a hill in a vast meadow, a hill that was now surrounded by all of the Alurannai looking around in confusion.

Lloyd descended to where 'Martel' waited beside the last crumbled remains of the old Tree. Walking past her, he carried the seedling into the heart of the bare patch of earth that was left and dropping to his knees. Tucking the seedling in the grip of one arm while he used the hand of the other to dig a hole, he planted it before stepping back from the newly placed Tree and doing as his heart was telling him to do in this moment.

Closing his eyes as he heard his companions running up the hill towards him, again, he began to sing, sing with the voice of the Tree that resided within him. It wasn't just any song though... it was the Song of Bonding.

Behind him Kratos, Vayla and Sheena froze before expressions of sudden joy lit their faces. Like a vast web the Seeding reached out with its spirit as it sang the Song with its Chosen. In seconds all of the Alurannai became Bonded to it, their strength feeding it with the very essence of life.

As fast as it had grown when twisted, so it grew now but as vigorous and filled with pure vitality as the Tree Breuntas had become had been. Branches shot up into the sky as mana poured forth and the Alurannai began to cheer as one in exultation.

Around Martel appeared all of the Summon Spirits. Efreet, Celsius, Luna, Aska, Shadow, Gnome, Sephie, Yutis, Fairess, Volt, Undine, Maxwell, Origin, Dallinius, Verius, and Krishka. All of them looked out over this place that was the heart of their power, the heart of the life of the world, as Martel raised her voice to be heard over the people as slowly they fell silent.

"The time of suffering has ended, Symphonia is as one once more. But the work is not over, there is still much to do to restore this world. I, Martel, the one who hath taken on the name of the first soul to be sacrificed to the Great Seed, stand before you as the symbol of those lost lives. The hopes of those people are part of what made me, and so I, the Summon Spirit of Hope, ask that you each would take one of those dreams and make it real." She fixed her eyes on Kratos', and smiled. "...Let us work together for the sake of a peaceful world!"

She lowered her eyes to where Lloyd and the others stood beside his father, his mother rushing to his side to put her arm around him... and in that moment all of them saw the souls within her. There at the front, Mithos and Martel stood with their arms around each other's shoulders, smiling.

That final message was theirs, and through the eyes of the Summon Spirit of Hope, they would one day fulfil their dream of seeing that peaceful world... together...

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**Alaia Skyhawk: And so ends book 3... Mithos got his redemption in the end, and the chance to fulfil his and Martel's dream of seeing a peaceful world one day. But that day has not yet come, for now is time for Book 4: Restoration and Redemption. I'll post it in a few hours, in the Dawn of the New World section, so head there to find the continuation of this series.**


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